Gifted From Starlight
by mystifyre
Summary: A discovery takes the train yard by surprise, but whilst at first it seems like a gift, it soon becomes a source of damage, conflict and grief.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Notes: My first multi-chapter 'fic is here! The idea for this came to me in a way I have never had with any of my other works; I wrote the ending of the story down and I worked backwards!  
_ _As always, any feedback/reviews are greatly appreciated!_

* * *

As Dinah heard the lock of the door hit home, she let out a sigh of relief. It was a dark, cold November evening and she was finally locking up the diner for the day. It had been hectic, with a steady stream of trains keen to escape the icy bite of the winter air with some comforting warm broth or a mug of steaming hot coffee. As much as she enjoyed her job and the company it brought however, she couldn't deny she was exhausted and desperate to get back to her depot to relax. She slipped her keys into her coat pocket and turned to leave, when an unfamiliar sound caught her attention. On first hearing, she simply dismissed it as a cat or bird hiding in the bushes but after listening for a moment longer she wasn't so convinced. She turned around, finding herself being drawn towards the source. Her eyes caught movement between the back of her diner and the shrubbery, and as she got closer, she realised the sound was a cry. There, swaddled in a pink blanket, was a baby.

"Oh my Starlight…" she breathed.

Dinah knelt down and tentatively picked up the bundle. She glanced around, checking to see if there was anyone else around, but all was still and quiet. She sat on the step of her diner and gently cradled the child, marveling at her tiny features. Being so small and light in her arms, she couldn't have been more than a week old, with dark wisps of hair crowning her head and plump rosy cheeks. At being held, the infant's cries gradually subsided and were replaced by small hiccups that made Dinah smile. Having calmed, the girl opened her eyes – a brief flash of azure blue – as if to check her surroundings.

"It's alright," Dinah said softly. "You're safe now."

Seemingly content, the girl's eyes closed once more. Keeping the child cradled close to her chest, the coach felt a strange feeling wash over her. She had never experienced it before but could only assume the infant had awoken some maternal instinct that was buried deep within her, for she suddenly felt a strong need to protect this small, fragile child. It was almost like she was meant to find her.

"There you are!" Dinah's head snapped up as Pearl approached, slightly out of breath. "I thought you'd-"

The other coach cut off and stopped in her tracks as her eyes fell on the pink bundle in Dinah's arms. She stared in awe.

"Is that…?"

Dinah simply nodded in response.

"I found her at the back of the diner," Dinah explained, gazing back at the infant, who was now drifting off to sleep, before she turned to look back at her friend. "Who would do such a thing? On such a cold night like this?"

Pearl joined Dinah on the step, finding she too could not take her eyes off of the little girl.

"She's beautiful."

For a moment, they both sat in silence simply admiring the baby as she peacefully slept. Neither knew how to put into words how precious she was. Nor did they know how to express how much of a impact this little arrival would have at the train yard. Dinah, however, was certain of one thing; she had to protect and care for this young human. Because if not her, who would?

"Greaseball will be wonderin' where I am…" Dinah bit her lip.

The coach suddenly felt her stomach twist with nerves. She had no idea how Greaseball would react to her bringing a baby home, but she didn't have any other choice. Leaving the defenceless infant to perish in these freezing conditions was cruel and heartless and to think a human had been able to just dump the baby and leave angered her. Which also meant there was no way she was returning the child to the nearby village, assuming that's where she was born.

Pearl tilted her head at her friend. "What are you gonna do?"

Dinah shook her head. "I don't know…but I can't leave her here."

At that, she gingerly stood up, taking care not to wake the child. Pearl decided to take initiative, eager to help.

"I'll run to Belle's and grab some blankets and send Rusty to get some formula from the town for when she gets hungry. I'll meet you back at your depot."

"Thanks, Pearl," Dinah smiled.

She watched as the pink coach sped off in the direction of Belle's depot before turning to make her way home.

"Let's get you into the warmth little one," she whispered to the sleeping infant as she took a deep breath. This was not going to be easy.

* * *

By the time Pearl slipped into Dinah's depot, she could hear an argument brewing in the kitchen.

"Dinah, you have to take her back."

"Back?"

"To the town. It's where she belongs."

Although Greaseball hadn't yet raised his voice, there was no hiding his exasperation.

Pearl quietly edged towards the doorway.

"They dumped her! They don't deserve her!" Dinah cried.

Just then, Greaseball realised they were no longer alone and glanced over at Pearl with a sigh.

"Oh, and I suppose _you_ had something to do with this?" he said, crossing his arms.

On the defence, Dinah crossed the room and stood between the two of them.

"Leave Pearl out of this! This was my decision and mine alone."

The baby stirred in Dinah's arms and began to wail. It only added to Greaseball's frustration and he turned his back to the two coaches. Pearl took the child from her friend and held her close to her chest to soothe her.

"If I had left her she would have been dead by morning, Greaseball." Dinah continued, her voice firm and assertive. "What kind of train would that have made me?"

Greaseball hesitated before turning back to face Dinah. He knew she was only doing the right thing – as Dinah always strived to do – but sometimes he despaired at the kind-hearted nature of the coach. She was too soft and sweet and those kind of qualities landed them in situations like this one. But looking at Dinah and seeing how defensive and stubborn she was, how could he say no? It was late and he was tired from a day of training. He didn't have the energy to protest further; it was easier to just accept and let her get on with it. At that, he admitted defeat and sighed.

"Fine, you can keep her. But I can promise you now Electra won't be happy."

Dinah immediately relaxed and threw her arms around him in a hug. At this moment in time, she didn't care what Electra thought.

"Right, now that's sorted, if it's alright with you two I'm going to hit the sack. I have another busy day tomorrow."

With that, Greaseball lumbered off to bed, without giving either of them a second glance. He would no doubt regret his decision in the morning, but his head was too fogged up to think straight.

At that, the two coaches set to work on getting the baby settled for the night. Pearl helped Dinah create a makeshift cot from a sturdy box with the blankets and heated up the formula milk for the baby's feed. By the time the infant had finished the milk, the pair were both exhausted. They laid the baby down in the cot, fast asleep, and breathed a sigh of relief. The evening had been a whirlwind but the child was safe and warm and that was all that mattered.

"She's lucky to have you." Pearl whispered, squeezing her friend's arm reassuringly before she left for the night.

Dinah smiled, taking comfort from the words. She was grateful for Pearl's support and she knew only too well she'd need all she could get to face tomorrow. The very thought filled her with dread. She had no idea how the train yard would react and the uncertainty unnerved her.

She gazed out of the window to the full moon and prayed to the Starlight.

* * *

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your thoughts/comments._


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Firstly, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my first chapter and a shout out to_ _Redonkadonk and FantasyNerd306 for your support. It is appreciated!_

 _So, I guess with this chapter I should simply say: welcome to Angstville! It all goes downhill from here, ha!_

 _As always, I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

The enormity of her decision hit Dinah like a ton of bricks as the sun rose the following morning. The baby's light cries stirred her from sleep and she felt Greaseball shift irritably beside her, pulling the duvet over his head in response. She rolled her eyes; she shouldn't have expected anything less from her man. The baby had only woken them once during the night but it was met with much grumbling from her partner whose answer was to simply bury himself under the covers and ignore the newborn. It hadn't really bothered Dinah; she understood the baby would be hungry once more. Not only that, but the infant was now in a completely new environment from the one she had grown accustomed to in her first week of life. As she had fed the girl another bottle of formula, Dinah had wondered where she had come from and the reasoning behind her being abandoned. Hearing Greaseball's snores from the bedroom, she found comfort in having the baby for company. It was just the two of them but they would be ok. Of that, she had been certain.

Now, with a clearer mind, she saw the situation from a different perspective. Dinah carefully lifted the child out of the makeshift cot and climbed back into bed, cradling the baby in one arm as she rested on her side. She was solely responsible for this tiny new life; to guide her and keep her safe. This baby depended on her to thrive. The very thought daunted her. She had no idea how to be a mother figure. She didn't know the first thing about caring for a trainlet, never mind a human baby, although she assumed there couldn't be too much of a difference.

As the baby quietened, Greaseball emerged from beneath the covers.

"Have you thought of a name?" he mumbled.

The question took Dinah by surprise. Had he been feigning disinterest?

"No, not yet. I was going to talk with the girls about it later."

Greaseball simply grunted in reply. That appeared to be the end of the conversation as he threw back the covers and made his way to the bathroom. Dinah could hear the squeak of the shower bursting into life and sighed. He clearly wanted nothing to do with the child and she could only hope he'd eventually come around to the idea of raising a youngster. They had never really had the conversation; about having a trainlet of their own. He was always too preoccupied with training, spending more time at the gym nowadays than anywhere else. Since losing the last national championship, he was determined more than ever to make a comeback and he wanted it to be spectacular. No time for distractions, especially not a baby.

"Well, I suppose we better get ready to open the diner," Dinah smiled to the infant, scooping her up and slipping out of bed to make a cup of coffee.

She had no idea what the day would bring.

* * *

Word had spread like wildfire through the train yard and almost all the trains knew of Dinah's discovery. As the coach opened up the diner for the day, she wasn't surprised to see Buffy and Ashley sauntering in first, excited to meet the new arrival. Dinah noted that Ashley had extinguished her cigarette prior to coming in as she gently passed the infant for her to hold.

"Oh my, isn't she precious?" the smoking car cooed, admiring the girl who was wide awake today, her blue eyes roaming with curiosity. "Where'd you say you found her?"

"Just behind the diner," Dinah said sadly as she dried off some mugs. "Someone must have left her there."

"You poor little thing," Buffy exclaimed, perched on the bar stool next to Ashley.

"Never mind, cherub," Ashley stroked the infant's cheek. "Who needs those pesky humans when you can have an Aunt Ashley and Aunt Buffy?"

Dinah couldn't help but giggle at the proclamation.

"I just wish I knew that everyone would be as supportive as you two and Pearl…"

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Why? Who's causing a riot?"

"Greaseball wasn't exactly happy when I brought her home, but I think he'll warm to her. But he warned me that Electra wouldn't be happy…"

"Awh, who cares what that electric diva thinks? He doesn't own the yard!"

Seeing Dinah's smile slip, Ashley passed the infant to Buffy. "What's on your mind?"

Feeling tears welling up in her eyes, Dinah turned away. Ever since she'd woken this morning she'd felt a heavy weight in her stomach and it was refusing to shift. She felt trapped; like an animal snared and no matter how frantically she tried she couldn't find a way to escape. The responsibility now felt like a burden on her shoulders and she couldn't go back on the decision she'd made last night. How could she? She condemned the very person who had abandoned the newborn in those freezing conditions. She'd thought she had done the right thing but the sickening twist in her stomach was filling her with doubt. Her head and her heart were battling it out: her mind yelling she was foolish, her heart adamant she'd done the sensible thing. It was suffocating.

"I'm just so scared," she whispered, a single tear trailing down her cheek.

"Oh, Dinah, sweetheart."

"This has all happened so fast…what if I can't do this?" Dinah could hear her voice quavering.

Ashley looked at the coach dead-pan and tilted her head. "Hunny, if a coach can raise a electric with an ego the size of Jupiter, I don't think we need to worry about that."

Buffy snorted. Dinah burst out laughing. With the laughter, she could already feel the tension in her stomach unravel. Ashley stretched over the counter and dabbed at the other coach's cheeks with a tissue, relieved to have lightened the conversation. "You'll do just fine," she said reassuringly. "Buffy and I will be there every step of the way."

The two coaches turned to Buffy. They had been too busy speaking to realise the little one had drifted off to sleep and she had curled herself up in the safety and comfort of Buffy's arms, one tiny hand clinging to her chest. The sight melted all of their hearts.

"Have you thought of a name?" Buffy smiled.

Dinah leaned over the counter. "I thought about Luna. It was a full moon last night when I found her and it seemed…fitting."

"Luna," Buffy glanced down at the sleeping infant. "I think it's pretty. It suits her."

The diner door flew open just then and interrupted the conversation. Electra stormed in, his blue eyes flashing with rage. Behind him trailed Pearl, obviously defeated in her attempts to stop him. His eyes immediately locked on the infant in Buffy's arms and his jaw tensed.

"What do you think you're doing taking in a human child?" he demanded, not even tearing his eyes away from the girl to look at Dinah.

"I saved her from dying out in the cold," Dinah made sure to keep her voice firm and even despite his presence filling her with dread. "I didn't see the harm; she's only a baby."

Electra slammed his fist onto the counter, starling everyone and making them all jump. Luna started to wail. Electra's eyes now bore into the coach.

"I didn't think you could be more foolish!" Electra stated through gritted teeth. "That _thing_ has no place here!"

The comment filled Dinah with anger. "What are you so afraid of?" she asked, confronting the electric.

"You have no idea what that thing is capable of. You're putting the whole yard in grave danger."

Electra marched towards Buffy, who was holding the baby tightly to her chest. In response, Pearl, Dinah and Ashley shielded them both.

"You're not touching that baby, Electra." Ashley growled.

But in a flash, the trio crumpled to the floor with a single shock of electricity. Buffy's eyes widened in fear.

"Hand me the baby or you'll be next."

She didn't have a choice. A shock from Electra would also shock the infant in her arms and the power from a small jolt, whilst enough to simply momentarily paralyze a full grown train, would undoubtedly kill the newborn instantly. Buffy reluctantly relaxed her arms and bowed her head as she surrendered the child. Electra simply smirked; it had been too easy to make the coach comply. As he made to leave, Pearl rose from the ground and dashed forward, slamming the door shut and blocking the electric train's exit.

"You won't get away with this!"

Electra let out a malicious laugh. He pulled the coach close to his face and looked her straight in the eye. "I already have," he stated, before sending a stronger jolt of electricity to her chest, the blue flash of light more intense than the last.

"Pearl, no!" cried Dinah, but it was too late. The pink coach dropped to the floor like a rag doll.

Powerless, Dinah could only watch as Electra opened the door and vanished with Luna. She'd mustered enough strength to rise to her knees but the searing pain from the shock left her unable to fully lift herself from the floor. She glanced towards Buffy, who was shaking uncontrollably, her head buried in her hands as she sobbed.

"I'm so sorry, Dinah."

Dinah couldn't find any words to speak, everything had happened so fast. Then, she remembered Pearl. Ashley had recovered quicker and had rushed over to the younger coach, cradling her as tears streaked her cheeks. Bracing herself for the pain, Dinah gingerly got to her feet, supporting herself with the counter, just as Rusty, Wrench, Joule and Volta arrived. Rusty immediately fell to his knees beside Pearl.

"Electra took the baby," Ashley explained.

Rusty needed to hear nothing else. Pearl had told him about Dinah and the baby last night when she arrived home late. Nobody would get away with hurting Pearl, or the infant for that matter. Especially not Electra.

"Rusty wait!" cried Joule, as she and Volta followed the steamer out of the diner. She knew only too well how dangerous the electric train could be when in such a frenzy.

Dinah stared after them.

"Please don't let him hurt her."

* * *

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your thoughts/comments._


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Notes: Firstly, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has taken the time to read and review my fanfic so far! This next chapter will probably make you all hate the diva that is Electra (I'm not responsible if you end up wanting to smash up his precious face by the end of this chapter, never mind the end of the story!). Trust me, there's a lot in store for these trains; I'm just getting warmed up. This story isn't for the faint-hearted so if you are deciding angstville isn't for you, perhaps it would be wise to go now before I throw more at our favourite trains..._

 _I hope you do choose to stay and continue reading of course! Your readership is always appreciated and makes me smile! ^-^_

 _Also, brownie points to those who get the Starlight reference I've casually thrown in!_

* * *

He was doing what was best for the yard.

Speeding ahead towards the river, the infant shrieking in his grasp, Electra was adamant he had the best of intentions. He had blocked out the child's wails, instead only hearing the pumping of his heart and feeling the electric charge coursing through him furiously, fueled by his anger. What the dining car had done was irresponsible. All he was trying to do was prevent disaster, which would be inevitable if a child was allowed to remain at the yard. The human race was reckless, destructive and untrustworthy. To allow one of them to mix with the trains was simply bad news. He was doing them all a favour, they were just too blind to see it. Blinded by the innocent façade of a child. It appeared only he could see through this pretense. The quicker the child was disposed of, the faster the yard could move on and forget that it ever happened. Somebody had to take a stand and do what needed to be done to safeguard their future.

"Those stupid coaches no nothing about what humans are capable of," he growled to himself.

He was about to teach them a lesson.

* * *

As the trio dashed from the diner to pursue the electric, Joule caught a glimpse of Greaseball from the corner of her eye. She skidded to a halt and diverted her route, allowing Volta and Rusty to charge ahead. The diesel raised an eyebrow as the dynamite truck rushed towards him.

"Electra snatched the baby. He wants to get rid of her," Joule didn't hesitate to get to the point. Time was of the essence; she couldn't afford to go into all of the details now.

But the news didn't seem to surprise him. "I know. Electra just came by the depot as I was leaving. I tried to warn Dinah that he wouldn't be happy-"

"And you didn't try to stop him?" the fiery truck interjected, her eyes flashing with impatience and exasperation. She was not in the mood for this. How did the dining car put up with this jerk?

When Greaseball simply shrugged nonchalantly, Joule nearly lost it. She threw her arms up in the air and desperately tried to compose herself. If she didn't, she was sure she would self-combust. Taking a deep breath, the dynamite truck changed tact.

"Look, if you really wanna be the tough guy, stand up to Electra!"

"You're one to talk," Greaseball folded his arms. "Aren't you supposed to support him? Obey all his commands and cater to his every whim?"

"I don't condone the sacrifice of a child!" Joule spat. "I will comply to most things, but I can't stand by and watch him do this to a harmless baby."

She watched as the diesel's expression changed. "Sacrifice? Electra told me he was taking the baby to the town."

Joule scoffed. Who knew he could be so gullible? "You don't seriously believe that, do you? Electra has no intentions of taking her to the town. He wants her disposed of."

Greaseball hesitated as he processed this information. When the diesel failed to respond, the dynamite truck cursed and shook her head. Did she have to spell it out?

"We're running out of time. He's already done damage at the diner. It looked like he'd left Pearl in a bad way…"

Bingo. Joule watched as Greaseball clenched his fist at the mention of his sweetheart's workplace. "Did he hurt Dinah?"

"He shocked her and the other coaches when they tried to stop him taking the child, but she's fine. But if you really cared about her you'd stop Electra."

But again, Greaseball failed to react. Joule had run out of steam. Rusty and Volta needed her and she was wasting precious time with this narcissistic buffoon.

"And here was me thinking you might have surprised me." She turned to leave.

But she was stopped by the diesel, cutting in front of her. He offered his couplers.

"They don't call me one of the fastest for nothing," he winked. "Let's go."

* * *

"Oh wow, looks like I'm pretty good at drawing a crowd!"

Electra stood poised by the fast-flowing river, Luna hanging precariously from one hand. He was enjoying this moment; having an audience, all eyes on him. All of them waiting with baited breath for his next move.

"Hand over the baby, Electra," Greaseball demanded through gritted teeth.

Electra raised an eyebrow at his race nemesis. "With all due respect, we wouldn't be having this dispute if it wasn't for your darling Dinah interfering with things!"

Greaseball clenched his jaw. "Don't you dare go blaming Dinah for this! She only had the best of intentions at heart. Dinah would never want to intentionally hurt anyone."

"And nobody thinks that _I_ have your best intentions in mind either? Oh, I'm so hurt!" he clutched his chest in mock agony, rolling his eyes. "You've been with that coach for too long, Greaseball. She's making you soft."

Rusty stepped forward, growing impatient with the electric and his accusations. Pearl and the other coaches had tried in vain to protect the infant and that had to count for something.

"Just give us the baby Electra and nobody gets hurt."

At the steam train's confrontation, Electra scoffed. "That would be too easy now, wouldn't it? Such a shame, your precious first-class sweetheart made such a pointless sacrifice."

At the mention of Pearl, Rusty lunged at the engine. Electra delivered a spark of electricity that stopped him in his tracks, sending him crumpling to the ground. A smirk of satisfaction flashed across his face.

"Watch it, Rustbucket, or you'll end up the same way," he warned.

The electric raised his head to address the others. "You're all fools! Don't you realise what this thing is capable of? You'd be making the biggest mistake of your lives keeping this baby!"

"Perhaps you can enlighten us since it seems nobody here but you seems to think she's a threat." Rusty staggered to his feet, one hand clutching his side as he writhed in pain.

Electra hesitated, and for a split second, there was a flicker of vulnerability in the train's eyes as they clouded over. It was as if he'd momentarily been disconnected and rebooted; trapped in a moment of thought. But as quickly as it came, it disappeared and the anger returned once more as Electra composed himself.

"You should know! Human are feral creatures! They have no place in the yard!"

But there was no real conviction in his voice. Whatever had briefly passed through Electra's mind had weakened his cause; a chink in his armour.

The electric looked up and locked eyes with his two components who up until now had remained silent. His eyes narrowed.

"This is wrong Electra and you know it!" cried Joule, taking a step forward to challenge him.

"Get over here now you two idiots! You should know better!"

But when Joule and Volta didn't move, the electric flew into a rage, taking a step closer to the edge of the river, suspending the infant over the edge. He was too enraged to notice the ground beneath him was unstable, cracked and crumbling from erosion.

"How dare you!" he stamped his foot.

The components gasped as they watched the cliff edge give way beneath him. Both Rusty and Greaseball sprung into action as Electra fell, releasing the baby. Rusty dashed for the edge, catching the infant as Greaseball grabbed his couplers to pull him to safety. Electra was left dangling precariously from the edge, scrambling frantically for leverage, his grip slipping. His laser blue eyes were wide with terror.

"Help me!" he cried desperately, glancing down in sheer terror at the river below.

Joule and Volta carefully approached the edge, staring down at him. They had never seen the electric train so vulnerable, the panic clearly etched in his face. He looked at them both, his face crumpled in anguish.

"I'll do anything! Please!" he begged.

Just then, Electra's lost grip and began to slide further. Volta and Joule reached down and grabbed his hands. Volta looked him in the eye.

"You leave that baby alone," her voice as cold as the ice she usually carried.

The pair heaved the train to safety and simply turned away to join Rusty and Greaseball, leaving him reeling. They had never disobeyed or stood up to Electra like this before, but it felt strangely empowering. For once, they found themselves not worrying about the consequences.

Rusty cradled Luna, relieved her ordeal was finally over.

Joule wrapped an arm around the steam train and smiled.

"Come on, let's take her home."

* * *

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your comments._


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Notes: In this next installment we take a brief (note I say brief, enjoy it whilst you can!) break from all the angst. The next couple of chapters will be full of baby cuteness in case anyone needs a heads up on all that "butterflies and rainbows" stuff._

 _Thank you again for all your comments and feedback so far, it's always appreciated!_

* * *

Back at the diner, it was eerily quiet. Wrench had summoned Purse and had him help carry Pearl back to her mechanical shed so she could examine the extent of her injuries further, leaving the three coaches alone. They couldn't find the words to express how each of them felt, so had allowed the silence to make itself at home. Ashley had resigned herself to sitting up at the bar, puffing her cigarette like there was no tomorrow. Beside her sat Buffy, whose tears had fallen silent although continued to streak her cheeks, now formed more from anger than despair. Dinah had sunken into a seat at the table opposite, staring into space, her mind overridden with thoughts of what Electra would do to Luna. She couldn't bear the thought of the electric harming her and the very idea brought a sickening feeling of guilt, which lay heavy on her chest. Just moments before she had been snatched from her, she had been seriously questioning her decision in taking in the child, worrying that she'd be a burden. Now she was sitting here retracting all those thoughts, apologising profusely to the Starlight and begging for Luna to be returned to her safe.

All in all, the trio felt like time had stood still, each minute dragging by painfully slow. They were just desperate for news.

Meanwhile, outside the diner, Rusty and the group approached. The steam train hesitated as Dinah's workplace came into view and he turned to the diesel with a smile, offering Luna to him. "Why don't you do the honours?"

Taken aback by the suggestion, Greaseball took a step back. "But…you were the one who saved her."

Rusty placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It was a team effort. Besides, you were the one who stuck up for Dinah back there."

Greaseball looked down at the infant as she looked up at him with her bright blue eyes, still red and puffy from her distressed cries earlier. He could see the longing in those eyes; she needed to be reunited with the one person who would devote all her love to care for her. He awkwardly took the infant into his arms and took a deep breath before stepping into the diner. Hearing the door, the three coaches sprung to their feet, their eyes wide with anticipation. Greaseball's heart skipped a beat seeing Dinah's face instantly brighten.

"Greaseball!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him and planting a tender kiss on his cheek, her eyes quickly falling down to Luna bundled in his arms. Tears of relief sprung to her eyes.

"Is she okay?"

Greaseball couldn't help but notice her hands were shaking as she lifted the baby into her arms, pulling her protectively close.

"She's just fine. We didn't let Electra touch her."

"Nor did Greaseball let Electra say a bad word about you," chipped in Rusty. "He defended your decision the whole way."

Dinah looked up at Greaseball in admiration, her cheeks now rosy. "You did?"

"Nobody gets to say a bad word about my lovely Miss America," he winked.

Dinah glanced behind the diesel to Rusty, Joule and Volta.

"Thank you," Dinah uttered, overwhelmed by the sudden surge of happiness and relief that washed over her. "Thank you for everything."

"Electra won't be troubling you any more," Joule reassured. "This is her home now."

At the word "home", Dinah lifted her head from looking at the infant with disbelief. "Did you just say…?"

Rusty rolled forward to join Greaseball's side. "She's part of the family now. We want you to know that we'd all like to help out. You don't have to do this alone, Dinah."

Dinah stood speechless. All her fears suddenly faded away. She wasn't going to be alone on this undoubtedly scary and uncertain journey; she'd have her friends by her side the whole way. It felt like a ton weight had been lifted off her shoulders and she could breathe freely again.

After a moment, she finally found her voice again. "Really?"

Rusty, Joule and Volta gave a nod of assurance. Ashley placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, whilst Buffy playfully nudged her hip. "We're here for ya, sis!"

That left Greaseball. Dinah looked at him for confirmation, biting her lip. His face was unreadable. But after a moment's hesitation, his lips curled into a grin and he nodded. Dinah beamed.

Ashley smiled at Luna and gently stroked her cheek. "Welcome to the train yard, cherub!"

* * *

That night, draped in the warm light of the bedside lamp, Dinah nestled in bed to keep warm whilst she fed Luna her bottle. It brought great comfort having her back in her arms. From her delicate, soft head to her tiny fingers, Dinah couldn't find any other word to describe her but perfect. She would never be able to comprehend how someone could possibly have been able to hold her like she was now, gaze into those innocent eyes one final time, before turning around and leaving her prey to the winter elements. It broke her heart to think Luna had very nearly been robbed of the chance of life. Finding the girl had stirred up so many emotions for her; surely the person responsible for abandoning her would have experienced them too? How could someone simply disregard those feelings and dump a defenceless baby? Did those feelings mean nothing at all?

The day's events had drained her and had not only given her a wake-up call, but also a new found confidence. The fact her friends – who had grown more to be a family in the past few months – had so readily gone to Luna's aid without hesitation and stood by her, meant so much. They had shown such unconditional support and caring for her; if Luna was important to her then it was important to them. Dinah vowed that from now on she would do everything in her power to protect Luna and raise her with the love and care she deserved. She would never be able to replace her birth mother, whoever she was, but she was going to be the very best substitute that she could be. Knowing her friends had her back meant she didn't have to face this challenge alone; the path was a lot less scarier than before.

"I promise I'll take good care of you," she whispered to the infant, gently prising away the empty bottle and stroking her head.

She curled up under the covers and pulled Luna close to her chest to soothe her and settle her for sleep. Tomorrow was already looking much brighter.

* * *

Greaseball returned from his late-night gym session to find Dinah fast asleep, Luna curled up in her arms. They both looked so peaceful; he couldn't help but take in that moment of calmness, especially after such a whirlwind of a day. Dinah hadn't let Luna out of her sight since the morning's reunion. Greaseball had likened her to a lioness, fiercely protecting her cub, and it was understandable. Just hours before Electra had snatched the infant with the intention of drowning her. The diesel shook his head vigorously to dispel the horrid images of what this evening could have been had they not intervened and confronted Electra at the river today. He turned his attention swiftly back to the scene in front of him. He approached the pair quietly and sighed. Gently, he extricated Luna from Dinah's arms, careful to ensure he supported the child's head as he'd observed Dinah doing, before laying her down in her cot. Although he would never dare to admit it, holding the infant scared him. She was so fragile and small, like a porcelain doll. He was convinced he'd drop her and all hell would break loose. The very thought made him shudder. It seemed to come so naturally to Dinah; one sweeping motion and the infant was cradled in her arms, handled with care. Yes, he thought, he'd keep the handing business to a minimum.

As he slipped under the covers, careful to not rustle the sheets, he found himself watching as the dining car slept, her features so serene, her blonde curls spilling onto the pillow. Although he wasn't completely sold on the prospect of having a kid in the depot, he found it impossible not to admire her dedication and genuine love she appeared to have for this tiny human. Lying on his back, now staring at the vacant ceiling as his mind went into overdrive, he felt a twinge of doubt in his stomach. They had never broached the subject of offspring, even before he had royally screwed up at the championship. He realised he had no idea if Dinah had even had any interest in having kids. Her two closest friends, Buffy and Ashley, who Greaseball often thought were a bad influence on the dining car, had never properly settled down and children now seemed an unlikely prospect. As a result, the diesel had simply assumed – perhaps quite naively – that Dinah wouldn't be broody either. But seeing how quickly she had bonded with Luna made him consider perhaps it had been something she'd keep buried and secret. Having Luna seemed to have given her a happiness even he couldn't provide her, and that hurt a little.

Thoughts still spinning in his mind, Greaseball rolled over and turned out the light. He lay awake in the darkness for a long time, reflecting on the past and worrying about the future.

* * *

The following morning. Dinah had risen early and was already making coffee, bouncing Luna on her hip as she made up the mugs. A knock at the door took her by surprise.

"Pearl!" She embraced her friend, beaming at the sight of the pink coach. "Thank Starlight you're alright!"

She felt the younger coach flinch in response and quickly pulled back, worried she had hurt her.

"It's OK," Pearl assured, waving a had dismissively. "I'm just a little sore…"

The pretty coach's eyes fell onto Luna, whose face had lit up with a look of wonderment, and she beamed. "I'm just glad this little cutie is safe and sound!"

Dinah grinned, opening the door further to invite her friend in. "How about some coffee?"

* * *

Electra, meanwhile, was simmering.

"You really were harsh on that first class coach, Electra. The poor girl could've died had you ramped up your voltage much more," condoned Purse, shaking his head as he paced the shed, not giving the electric any eye contact.

Electra gritted his teeth. He wasn't appreciating the lecture. That stupid pink coach had got what she deserved. It was just unfortunate the dining car didn't quite get the lesson she had also merited. And as for his so-called loyal components…

"I don't really see what the fuss is about…" Purse continued, blissfully unaware of the irritation he was causing. "She's just a baby, what harm could she possibly do?"

Electra slammed down his wrist, causing him to jump. "That little brat has successfully got the desired result! This is a trap! The humans drop a cute baby as bait so we can foolishly take it and they can take advantage of us! That baby will be the end of us all!"

Purse lowered his eyes and distracted himself by fidgeting with his bow tie. Growing impatient of being ignored and his concerns so easily dismissed, Electra grabbed his component by the throat, pinning him against the wall.

"They can keep their precious baby," he snarled. "Let them find out the hard way!"

He released Purse from his chokehold and rubbed his hands together, immediately relaxing.

"Well," he said smugly. "I'll just take the pleasure of watching them burn."

* * *

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your comments._


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Notes: This is a light-hearted chapter so we finally have a little escapism from the angst. The next couple of chapters are more a focus on the trains and their individual relationships with Luna before we get to the real nitty gritty stuff. As always, I hope you enjoy!  
_

* * *

 _Three Years Later_

"Is it too late to take early retirement?" Ashley groaned, reaching for a cigarette. "I'm getting way too old for this!"

Ashley and Buffy had stopped by the diner that afternoon for their usual gossip with Dinah. When they had arrived, Luna had been quietly playing with her toy ponies at a table in the far corner. But when Dinah had served the two coaches their drinks, she had also prepared a chocolate cookie milkshake for her and just fifteen minutes later, chaos had ensued in the form of a sugar rush. Luna had gone from quiet and content to really loud and bursting with energy, and it was driving the smoking car crazy.

Dinah laughed at the coach's comment, her blonde curls bouncing.

As Ashley pulled out her cigarette, however, Luna whipped her head around and caught her in the act. "Uh uh, Aunt Ashley!" the girl pouted, hands on her hips. "Those are bad!"

Buffy snorted loudly beside her. "That's you told, Ash!"

Unamused, Ashley rolled her eyes, removing the unlit cigarette from her mouth. "Alright, little miss sassy!" she retorted, tucking it away, making a mental note to have double later. Jeez, so not only was the kid annoying her, she was calling the shots too!

As the coaches resumed their conversation, the young girl eyed the bar stool next to Buffy. Feeling left out, she jumped up and down several times in a futile attempt to hoist herself up onto the seat. With no luck, Luna stomped her foot in frustration.

Dinah craned her head over the counter. "Now, Luna," she put a hand on her hip, raising an eyebrow. "You're gonna hurt yourself tryin' to get up there!"

But the girl was stubborn. Sticking her tongue out in concentration, Luna proceeded to climb the bar stool, every time sliding back to the floor.

"Do you want me to lift you up?" offered Buffy, who had been watching the girl's attempts from the corner of her eye.

But the girl shook her head furiously. "Nope! I can do it!" she insisted.

After two more attempts, she finally got a grip and triumphantly propped herself up, beaming with self-satisfaction. Dinah sighed and shook her head in disbelief.

"You know you don't get up there in case you fall."

But Luna didn't care. She had always wanted to sit up here, where all the trains sat. She felt very high up and important, like a princess on her throne. At last, she could be part of all the fuss up here! Sensing Dinah's concern, Buffy rested a protective hand across the back of the bar stool to keep it steady.

"Well, aren't you a big girl sitting up here?"

The girl giggled, enjoying the attention. She sat quietly as the coaches gossiped before Dinah clocked her eyeing up Buffy's milkshake.

"I know what you're up to, Luna!" she playfully tickled the girl across the counter. "You've already had a milkshake! You can get a treat later."

Plan foiled. Luna scrunched up her nose and decided she was now bored up on her perch. Without warning, she launched herself from the chair, landing in a sprawled heap on the linoleum tiled floor. All three coaches gasped, bracing themselves for the inevitable. But instead of howl, the girl let out a giggle, seemingly unhurt and unfazed, picking herself up and running to the back of the diner. Dinah breathed a sigh of relief.

The smoking car shook her head. "Dinah, she has way too much energy! Where does she get it from?"

Dinah shrugged, a look of amusement on her face. "Your guess is as good as mine, although I have a feeling that milkshake might have contributed to it…"

Just then, Rusty rolled in.

"Rustyrustyrusty!"

The steam train was tackled before he could even close the door. Rusty grinned and hoisted the girl into the air and onto his shoulders, which was received by a shriek of glee.

"Wow, someone's full of beans today!" he chuckled.

"I'll say," Ashley muttered.

"Just your usual, Rusty?" Dinah smiled, kicking the coffee machine into life.

"Of course!" the steam train nodded, approaching the bar.

"Care to save us from going prematurely grey and burn some of the little cherub's energy?" Ashley asked drily, resting her chin on her hand. "She's like a rabbit on speed."

"If I didn't know you better, Ash, I'd think you were getting old!" Rusty nudged her playfully. Ashley scowled in response.

He smiled at Dinah as she handed him his coffee. "I can take her out on one of my errands for a bit?" he offered.

"Yes! Thank the Starlight!" cried Ashley, hands in the air.

"Sorry, she's being highly dramatic today," grinned Buffy.

"I'm being driven demented by a toddler! This is NOT being dramatic!"

Dinah laughed, tilting her head at the smoking car. "It might save Ashley from having a nervous breakdown…if that's ok with you?"

"Sure!" he lifted his head to look up at the youngster. "We'll maybe even have time to give Pearl a visit too!"

"Yay!" Luna clapped in response.

Luna worshiped the first class train, who entertained her natural girly love for all things pink and pretty. She was regularly an invited guest to Luna's tea parties and the first choice for a playmate to play dress up with her dolls. The steam train was also a firm favourite. He had really stepped up to help Dinah raise her when it became apparent Greaseball wasn't so forthcoming. He had taught Luna about being safe around the yard, given her a tour of the infamous racetrack and shown her the trophy cabinet.

"Now Luna, you be on your best behaviour with Rusty, you hear?" Dinah adopted her stern voice, one she only reserved for when she wanted the child to listen to something important.

The girl nodded vigorously before waving goodbye to the coaches, Ashley giving the most enthusiastic wave out of the trio as the door closed.

At the peace, Ashley slumped her head down on Dinah's bar in relief, the cool plexiglass soothing her thumping head. "How many more years do we have to deal with this?"

"You love it really," nudged Buffy, taking a sip of her milkshake and winking at Dinah.

After a moment, Ashley lifted her head. "But seriously Dinah, how do you do it?"

Dinah simply shrugged. Luna brought a great deal of light and happiness to her life and although, as days like today showed, she could be loud and slightly troublesome, it was simply her way of interacting with the world and learning new things. It was just unfortunate that the smoking car didn't share the same patience and understanding that she'd grown to adopt.

Ashley's eyes widened in realisation and she whipped out her cigarette once more, not hesitating to light it. With a couple of puffs, Dinah was relieved to see the coach's mood brighten as she began to relax. Ashley was predictable; if she missed a cigarette break she always got uptight and cranky.

"Hey, here's an idea Dinah," the smoking car pointed her cigarette at the blue coach, leaning back in her seat. "You should show the kid in all that sugar rush glory to the young coaches. Now that would really put them off kids for life!"

Dinah flicked her dishcloth in her direction. "She ain't that bad," she chuckled.

Ashley smiled as she took another drag. "You know I love that little cherub. Just sometimes she drives me up the wall…"

"She's only trying to help you break the habit, Ash!" Buffy tutted sarcastically, fidgeting with her now empty milkshake glass. "She's trying to do you a favour!"

"Well, if that's the case, maybe we should let her ransack your liquor cabinet and see how you fair!"

Buffy gasped at the suggestion and the three coaches burst into laughter.

* * *

Rusty took great pleasure in spending time with Luna and he was always grateful that Dinah felt he could entrust him with her, even just for an hour or two. After all that had happened when she was an infant, Dinah could have been forgiven for being overprotective and reluctant to share, but to his surprise, as the girl got older, the dining car had seemed more at ease to let her go and explore the yard with the other trains. Perhaps it was the realisation that she couldn't shelter the child from everything or that she would only hinder her development if she kept her cooped up all day, but Rusty admired her for it. He loved the girl's enthusiasm and curiosity, always yearning to learn and explore. She was daring and feisty; always wanting to try new things. It made him feel more sprightly and made him realise humans and trains weren't all that different.

"Hey Luna, come here!" beckoned Rusty, taking a detour and rolling towards his shed. The girl had got restless on his shoulders after a while and he had been happy to let her run ahead. "I was going to save this for another day, but seeing as you are here…"

He unlocked the shed door to reveal his latest project that he'd spent the last week on. The girl skipped into the shed and gasped as she saw Rusty push a small bike towards her.

"I found it on the scrapheap and thought I'd be perfect for you."

Rusty had spent hours painstakingly scrubbing the grime and dirt from the dumped bike, realising it was in good condition overall. He watched as the girl excitedly admired the shiny bike, with its pink aluminium frame and pink and silver streamers, complete with white training wheels.

"This is mine?" she asked, her blue eyes shining bright with glee.

"Sure is! Do you like it?"

"I love it! It's pink just like Pearl!" the girl squealed, pedaling the bike out of the shed without hesitation. "Can I go show her?"

Rusty swung the padlock back onto his shed and secured it with the key, a helmet under the crook of his arm.

"We sure can! But I think you are forgetting something."

He helped the girl secure the helmet onto her head.

"I'll give you a race?" he challenged.

* * *

"Joulie!" Luna cried, pedaling faster towards the dynamite truck, eager to show off her new toy.

Rusty had raced her to the component sheds and was relieved to have the opportunity to take a breather. Boy, did he need to get back into shape for the races!

"Oh hey, Luna! What's that you got there?"

The dynamite truck had grown fond of the child despite Electra's clear discontent.

"It's a bike! Rusty found it!" she proudly paraded around her.

"Wow! It's very flash! I bet you could be faster than Greaseball on that!"

"Don't give her any ideas," Rusty groaned, panting as he still tried to catch his breath.

Joule cocked an eyebrow as she let out a laugh of bemusement. "Did she have you running a marathon or something?"

"Nope," Rusty puffed, nursing a stitch in his side. "Just…out of shape, that's all!"

He watched as Luna continued cycling along on her bike. Ashley was right, she seemed to have an endless energy that he suddenly envied.

Joule flicked a stray lock of hair back from her face. "So where are you headed on this fancy bike of yours?"

"I'm gonna show it to Pearl!"

"Well, I'm sure she'll love it,"

Joule turned and noticed the electric train watching from the sidelines, his eyes narrowed. She quickly turned her attention back to the girl before either Rusty or Luna could notice his presence.

"Well, I best be letting you get on," Rusty noted the slight waver in her voice. She gave him a knowing glare and cocked her head to encourage him to move on. She gave Luna a smile.

"See you later you two."

* * *

"Pearl! Pearl! Look what I got!"

The first-class coach spun around at the little girl's voice. Luna was always a pleasure to see. She watched as she furiously pedaled towards her, Rusty lagging behind.

"Oh, isn't it fabulous?" Pearl crouched down to the child's level. "I love how pink it is!"

"Joule says I could be faster than Greaseball!" Luna exclaimed, skidding to a halt. "I bet I could be a good racer!"

Rusty gave an exasperated sigh, joining her side. The girl was never going to keep quiet about it now.

"You're certainly very fast on it!"

Pearl stood up, and as she did, Rusty laced his arms around her waist and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Did Dinah get busy at the diner?" the pink coach asked, all the while observing Luna as she showed off her bike.

"Nope, I was just saving Aunt Ashley from losing her marbles," he chuckled.

"She only got mad 'cos I told her off for smoking," the girl piped up, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly.

The pair couldn't help but laugh at the child. She was clearly picking up on some of the smoking car's dramatic traits.

"Shall we see if Rusty is up for a race back to the diner?"

At his partner's suggestion, Rusty stood aghast.

"Come on, Rusty!" Pearl elbowed the steam ride teasingly, racing ahead. "It'll give you good practice!"

* * *

"Greaseball! Race. With. Me!" the girl whined, pushing herself along on her bike, digging her feet into the ground with every word. She was evidently tired from her outing with Rusty yet she was adamant to have one last race.

"I've already said, not tonight!"

Greaseball and Dinah were walking home with her from the diner and Luna was fast grinding on his nerves.

When the girl fell silent, trundling along beside them, he'd thought he'd hammered his point home.

"Please?"

Greaseball stopped in his tracks, clenching his jaw. Why did the child have to be so persistent? Dinah quickly stood in front of him, her eyes silently begging him not to lose his temper at the girl. He took a deep breath. Despite his disapproval of her choice to keep Luna, which had subsequently worsened as she'd got older, he was still a sucker for those pretty blue eyes.

"Maybe another time," he simply responded, before storming ahead to the depot.

By the time Dinah and Luna arrived home, he had already isolated himself to the bedroom, the door closed.

"Why won't Greaseball race me?" questioned Luna, as she snuggled up in bed.

Dinah, with the help of Pearl, had transformed the spare room of the depot into Luna's bedroom and had adorned the walls in pastel pinks and purples.

Dinah sighed, perched on the edge of the bed. "He's just tired. He's had a busy day."

Dinah had desperately wanted Greaseball to be involved with raising Luna but instead he had grown distant. He still visited the diner throughout the day and would always walk her home if he wasn't training, but she could sense that things had changed between them. They were no longer connected; just two separate entities going through the motions.

She watched as the girl's lips formed into a cheeky grin. "Do you think he's scared he'll lose?"

"Maybe," Dinah grinned. "You are pretty quick on that bike!"

"I bet he thinks I can't race! But one day, I'll show him!"

Dinah smiled, planting a kiss on the girl's forehead.

"I've no doubt about that."

* * *

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your comments._


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: Okay, maybe I lied a little about the next few chapters being a bit more light-hearted…we've ventured back into angstville somehow...woops! On that note, this chapter does come with a warning of some strong language. Enjoy!_

* * *

"Earth to Dinah!"

The dining car shook her head and blinked, momentarily disorientated. She'd been distracted all morning, her mind fogged and swirling full of thoughts that she couldn't shake off. Thoughts that had been tormenting her since last night and weighing her down, to the point where it was almost suffocating. This was the third occasion whereby she'd fallen into a daze, where everything would blur and contort and the voices around her would become muffled and distorted, like she was underwater. It was like her mind was temporarily disconnecting her from reality in an attempt to protect her. But as soon as she broke out of her stupor, she'd feel drained, as if all the energy had been zapped from her. She also suspected the sleep deprivation from last night was also a culprit.

After tucking in Luna, she'd slipped into bed with Greaseball and realised how lonely she felt. She was used to drifting off wrapped in the warm comfort of his arms, but lately this had become much less frequent. It suddenly dawned on her that she'd not slept like that for a while and the chill she'd felt had served as a stark reminder as she'd pulled the covers tight. That night, as she had lain silent staring longingly at his bulky silhouette in the gloom, it felt like there had been miles between them in their bed. She contemplated for hours how it had come to this; where had they gone wrong? The more she dwelled on it, the more she ached. She ached for him to draw her close and whisper in her ear that he loved her. Those were words she'd not heard in forever. Deep down she knew she was responsible for this great divide between them. He'd never wanted Luna. She had just brought her home and expected him to accept her with open arms. Sure, she'd thought she'd convinced him it was the right thing to do, but now Dinah realised he'd probably regretted the decision all along. He had simply tolerated Luna all this time just to appease her but now the cracks were beginning to show. His patience was wearing thin. He couldn't keep up this pretense for much longer. But to Dinah, this silent drifting stung more than a slap in the face. The truth was laid bare: she was losing him and she had been blind all this time.

After being lost in her thoughts, Dinah finally glanced up and noticed the looks of concern etched on her friends' faces as they sat at the bar.

"Sorry, I…um…"

She clenched her fists in her frustration. She couldn't find the words to express how she felt. She felt helpless, like she had been pulled out to sea with the tide, unreachable to anyone. She felt like she was chained to the demons in her mind and no matter how loudly she screamed, nobody could hear her. Tears welled up in her eyes but she frantically blinked them back. Feeling embarrassed, she turned her back to them and pretended to be preoccupied with scrubbing a pan she'd probably washed two times already.

"You totally zoned out there," Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Are you ok?"

Dinah felt compelled to turn around and scream that no, she wasn't ok. She was falling to pieces. She was trying to raise a three-year-old child whilst also trying to salvage a relationship that was fast diminishing before her eyes. It felt like she'd been presented with a trophy only for it to be cruelly snatched away. Before Luna had come along, Greaseball had been her prize. After all the events of the championship, they had vowed to try harder. She forgave him wholeheartedly and wiped the slate clean, willing to forget all of his mistakes. Now, she thought, she'd gone and tore down those foundations they had been re-building by bringing Luna into their lives. But then again, she had no regrets about her decision to save that tiny, defenceless infant that cold November night. All in all, Dinah was simply lost; she didn't know what to do. And yet, she knew shouting would achieve nothing and she didn't want to do something she'd probably regret later. There was enough damage right now without her harming her friendships too. So, instead, she took a deep breath and lifted her head from the sink and simply said:

"I'm fine. I just have a migraine, that's all…"

But it didn't fool anyone. Ashley narrowed her eyes. Something wasn't right, she could sense it. Beside her, Pearl shifted uncomfortably in her seat, glancing at Luna who was quietly colouring in the corner. She had been quite subdued when Pearl had arrived, with no loud exclamation or even a smile. She'd simply rushed over and given her a hug and even then she'd lingered longer than usual, as if she needed the young coach's reassurance. It was clear even the kid knew something was amiss and found it all disconcerting. But before anyone could probe further, Caboose sauntered into the diner.

"Hey C.B! On your own today?" Buffy asked innocuously, taking a sip of her lemonade.

The Caboose leant casually against the bar. "I am indeed! I'm actually just on a quick break. Greaseball just asked me to pick up a coffee to go so we can crack on with training."

Dinah silently prepared the coffees, grateful for the distraction. But she faltered upon hearing the brake truck's words and her heart sunk. Greaseball's absence confirmed her fears. He was deliberately avoiding her. Realising she desperately needed to change the topic, she took another deep breath, turning her head to face Caboose.

"We're taking Luna up to Hark Hill to watch the Lights tonight…you wanna come along?"

Hark Hill was an annual tradition for the yard. Each year the friends would gather to watch the spectacle that was the Northern Lights from the best vantage point in town. The scene was breathtaking. This year was a little more exciting than usual too, as Luna was now old enough to appreciate the light display.

She watched as C.B's faced contorted into an awkward grimace. "Oh, uh…thanks, but I promised G.B that I'd head to the gym with him later after training. Says he could use the motivation." The Caboose cracked a wide smile. "Perhaps I should start being his personal trainer."

But his joke was met with silence. The coaches watched as Dinah's shoulders sunk in disappointment. Her eyes cast down to the floor. What did she expect? She bit her lip to fight back more tears. They were done. This was the final blow. As she witnessed her friend start to crumble, Buffy restrained herself momentarily to see how C.B. would react. But when he simply turned his back to the dining car and bid farewell, completely ignoring Dinah, she slammed her fist down on the counter, causing everyone to jump.

"THAT'S IT!"

Buffy stormed out of the diner after C.B. Luna scrambled up from her seat and rushed over to Pearl, confused and clinging to her for reassurance. The first class car gave her a weak smile as she lifted the girl onto her knee and gave her a comforting hug, tilting her head sympathetically at Dinah.

"He hates me," Dinah whispered, clinging onto the counter for support, biting her lip, her eyes still set firmly to the ground.

"Oh Dinah, don't say that!" Pearl said. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't."

"He's just being a typical man, honey," Ashley shook her head. "Sometimes I think us coaches are better off without them. We girls should just stick together and not take any of that-"

The smoking car glanced at Luna, who was sitting quietly on Pearl's knee, eyeing her warily, then back at Dinah. "-trash,"

The rephrasing made Dinah smile briefly.

"Besides, " Ashley continued, shifting in her seat. "I think we can rely on Buffers to knock some sense into him. If she doesn't wring his neck first, that is!"

Pearl reached out and rested her hand on Dinah's arm.

"Let's go to the Lights tonight and have some fun with Luna. Everything will work out in the end, you'll see."

Dinah nodded. She could only hope that Pearl was right.

* * *

"You need to get a grip!" Buffy spat as she approached Greaseball, seething.

Much to Caboose's bewilderment, she'd insisted on following him back to the racetrack. Greaseball rolled his eyes. He was never in the mood to speak with the buffet car, but today he really didn't have the patience for her. Of Dinah's friends, Buffy was the one he found the most irritating. She didn't know when to keep her mouth shut.

"What's all this about?"

"Don't play dumb with me!" Buffy jabbed a finger in his direction, her words full of venom. "I can't stand to the side and watch this shit anymore. I'm sick and tired of seeing my friend let down, time and time again."

Caboose retreated, not wanting to get involved with the buffet car in all her fury.

"I'm not stupid," Buffy continued. "I can read between the lines. You blame Dinah. You're pissed off because her life revolves around someone else that isn't you!"

Greaseball shook his head and gave a sigh of exasperation. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really? Well, perhaps if you'd bothered your ass this morning to come to the diner instead of chickening out and sending dumbtruck over there…" Buffy tilted her head towards C.B. "…you would have seen what damage you've done!"

The diesel clenched his jaw. Who did the buffet car think she was getting involved in his personal affairs?

"You know nothing! I never asked for this! Have you ever stopped to think how I feel about the whole thing? She came home with a baby and just expected me to be ok with it and for nothing to change!"

"What did you expect her to do? Leave the kid to die alone in the freezing cold? She was a baby! I'd like to think even you wouldn't have done that if you'd found yourself in that situation, but clearly I'm wrong. Dinah took her in out of the goodness of her heart. She saved her. And since then she's done nothing but her best to make sure Luna is loved. But you," Buffy narrowed her eyes. "you weren't prepared to commit. So you slunk away into the background. I bet Dinah wished it could have been that easy. She was so overwhelmed, so scared, but at least she wasn't a coward!"

The diesel's frown unfurled. Her words were making him doubt himself; had he really been unreasonable? Buffy hesitated, watching the diesel as he took in what she was telling him, before forcing herself to take a breath and compose herself. She needed to be a bit more civilised. At that, she took a step closer to the engine.

"The very least you could do is support her. She needs you, Greaseball! There's no point pinning the blame on her or taking it out on Luna; it's not going to change anything. Besides, you clearly cared about them once. Rusty told us that you defended Dinah's decision when Electra snatched Luna. So, what's changed?"

Greaseball sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I…I still care about her."

"Huh, well you sure have a funny way of showing it! Maybe you should stop trying to impress and be all Mr. Tough Guy for once and be a real man!"

Buffy unclenched her fists and began to retreat. "It's your move, Greaseball. Only you can fix this. But I will say this: give the girl a chance. She's a good kid."

At that, Buffy turned on her heel and rolled off back to the diner, leaving Greaseball standing in the middle of the racetrack, deep in thought.

Caboose let out a whistle as he joined Greaseball's side, having watched from the sidelines. "Jeez, that buffet car sure is a loose cannon! She's a nutcase!"

"She has a point."

Greaseball's response threw him. The diesel was actually agreeing with that crazy coach?

"I haven't been there for Dinah. I haven't really made an effort to make things work. I just…gave up."

"She brought a baby home. A kid! Who needs that kind of commitment when you're trying to regain a championship title? I mean, it was like she expected you to drop everything to help her care for it!"

But Greaseball had stopped listening.

"I'm afraid I'll be cancelling our gym session tonight, C.B,"

The diesel starting to roll away, looking behind his shoulder to see the Caboose standing aghast, his mouth open in bafflement.

"Nothing personal."

* * *

"It's so pretty!" Luna breathed, her blue eyes transfixed in wonder at the sky. "How do all the colours get up there?"

The girl turned her head, directing the question at Greaseball. His unexpected presence at the Lights had surprised everyone and the trains had been unsure how to react. He's quietly joined Dinah's side and was thankful for once that Luna was around to take the attention away from him. That is, until now.

The diesel squirmed at the question, noticing the others turn their heads to him expectantly. Boy, he hated being put on the spot. He simply shrugged, unsure how to answer. "I'm not actually too sure," he admitted.

"Poppa told me that all the different lights are made from all the trains who have passed on and joined the Starlight," Rusty piped up.

Luna gazed back up at the vibrant arcs of variant shades of greens, purples and blues, tilting her head.

"Is your Momma up there?"

The question took Rusty by surprise. On one of his days out with Luna, he had taken her to visit Poppa. He'd been delighted to see the girl and had sat her on his knee and told her stories of Rusty as a boy engine, showing her photos of times past. One such photo that had particularly grabbed her attention had been of the three of them in a traditional family portrait: Rusty, Poppa and Momma. Rusty had explained that Momma had passed years ago and that she had gone on to join the Starlight and help him in Heaven.

"Yeah, I'm sure she is," he grinned.

"What about me? I'm not a train…would I be up there someday?"

The group hushed, both in awe and uncertainty. How could a kid conjure up such thoughtful and deep questions? Each one gave the other a nervous glance. Pearl sat upright.

"You're extra special," she smiled, pointing up at the stars that were twinkling brightly with the Lights. "See the stars? You'll be shining bright like one of them."

The girl frowned. "Buy you see the stars all the time!"

"The Lights are around all the time too, although we can only see them once a year. That's because trains are really busy, even in Heaven. Whereas people have all the time in the world!"

Beside her, Ashley gave a nod of approval impressed by the young coach's response. Seemingly satisfied, Luna curled up to Dinah and continued to silently admire the scene. Before long, she had fallen asleep. Greaseball sighed.

"I guess we'd better head home…"

But when Dinah shifted to move, a hand placed on her shoulder stopped her.

"It's ok, I'll take her," Ashley whispered, giving a reassuring wink. Even before this morning, she knew Luna had placed a lot of strain on the pair's relationship. They deserved some time alone. Dinah smiled gratefully as Ashley scooped up the child into her arms. Pearl, Rusty and Buffy also took their cue to leave and farewell. Greaseball didn't miss the backward glare from Buffy as she left.

For several moments, the pair sat in silence. Dinah rested her head on Greaseball's shoulder. After another minute, Greaseball noticed a single tear trail down the dining's car's cheek. She lifted her head to gently brush it away.

"I'm sorry."

She was suddenly overcome with emotion; all that she had been bottling up earlier now springing to the surface. She just couldn't keep her feelings locked up anymore.

"I know this has been hard for you," she said, her eyes averted, looking into the distance. "I made this choice without consulting you properly. I threw our lives into chaos in the blink of an eye! You have every right to be angry at me, I was being so selfish that I didn't think of anyone else…"

Greaseball turned and faced the dining car, taking her hands in his.

"Dinah, I'm the one who should be…" he tried, but the word simply wouldn't come. Dinah simply nodded, showing she understood what he was trying to say. "I've been a fool. I should have been there for you and I wasn't. I was a coward and instead of facing the challenge head on it was easier to just run away. I left you to it. And you are the most selfless coach I know!"

Dinah smiled at the comment. She did try and make sure everyone was happy although sometimes that could mean sacrificing her own happiness in the process. The dining car thrived on seeing others smiling and it was what made her such a likable train on the yard. But she never realised that it could also impact those around her in such a negative way, even if it was unintentional.

Wiping away another stray tear, Dinah looked the diesel in the eyes.

"The thing is, I miss you…and I miss us! I never wanted us to turn out like this, not after all that happened before. I just…I just wanted you to love Luna. And maybe that was wrong of me-"

Greaseball hushed her, drawing her close.

"I do like that kid, it was just me. I was just scared. I had no idea what to do with a baby! So I just thought you seemed to have it all figured out, it seemed so natural for you, so I just focused on training and kept out of the way. But I swear, from now on I'm going to give the kid a chance and I'll try my best to help you. You both deserve better."

That seemed enough for Dinah. She smiled as he cupped her face with his hands. They shared a kiss beneath the magical sky.

And as Dinah closed her eyes, she made a wish to the Starlight.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ashley let herself into Dinah's depot and carried Luna into her bedroom. She flicked on the girl's nightlight and carefully laid Luna in bed, unbuckling her shoes and laying them by her bedside, before tucking her in. She brushed a tendril of brown hair from the girl's face. The smoking car had to admit she had never been fond of children and had never desired to have any of her own. But she had found it impossible not to love the little girl with her sweet-nature and bubbly laugh and marveled at how creative and smart she was. She was, undeniably, a miracle gifted from Starlight.

"Sweet dreams, Luna," she whispered, softly kissing the child on the head.

As she reached the door, a murmur made her pause; three little words that made her smile.

"Night, Aunt Ashley."

* * *

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your comments._


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note: What do you do when you get a snow day? Write the next chapter of course! Enjoy!  
_

* * *

"Nothing personal."

Caboose stared after the diesel in bewilderment. When he'd had the buffet car chasing his tail, clearly enraged and on a mission, he had rolled his eyes and assumed she was just away to pull off the usual dramatics on Greaseball. Buffy got herself worked up over the slightest thing; she was renowned for her quick temper. But he didn't foresee her changing Greaseball's perspective. As predicted, she had launched into a tirade -one that Caboose had retreated to watch eagerly from the sidelines – but Greaseball's reaction had baffled the brake truck. It seemed to provoke a sense of guilt and self-reflection in the diesel, as if the buffet car had given him a slap and snapped him to his senses. Caboose had expected Greaseball to stand his ground and defend himself; justify his actions and tell the buffet car where to go. He started out with this intention before retracting his justifications almost as quickly as they'd been said. He had backpedalled; Buffy seemingly giving quite a sobering lecture.

The brake truck had quickly grown tired of Greaseball's incessant laments about Dinah and Luna, although he had to admit he also found it quite satisfying hearing how much he disliked the human brat. Caboose had suggested the training sessions as a means for Greaseball to work out his frustration. He told himself to have patience with the diesel and so he'd continued to console him as he prattled on and on, pretending to listen. Because although he found the rants monotonous, the issues he discussed were proving to be a big motivational tool for Greaseball and it had sparked an idea in Caboose. He made the sessions more frequent, urging the diesel to push further and train harder so he could regain his championship title. He lead Greaseball on and – unknowin to the diesel - deliberately distanced him from Dinah. Caboose ensured his day was full so he didn't have time to go visit her at the diner and would return home late. To Caboose, there was potential for Greaseball to be used as a pawn to get to Luna. And with his relationship with Dinah clearly on the rocks, Caboose figured he'd be more likely swayed into helping Electra as opposed to sympathising with her, Or, at least, that was the idea…

But the sudden change of heart had put a spanner in the works and changed everything. Now, Caboose was cursing Buffy for getting herself involved. More so, he was furious with Greaseball. They had made a good team and Greaseball had frequently told Caboose how much he had appreciated the brake truck helping him out. But he'd also been quick enough to ditch him. Well, that was fine. He would make him wish that he'd never listened to Buffy. He'd be sorry he ever messed with Caboose.

Buzzing with motivation and intent, he raced along to Electra's shed. He knew Electra would listen to him. Electra needed no excuse to start trouble, especially when the child was concerned. Approaching the depot, he was met by Volta as she was preparing to leave to check in for the day ahead.

"Oh, hey Volta. Is Sparky around?"

Volta raised an eyebrow. Although Caboose's presence wasn't unusual – he seemed to find any excuse to spend more time here, much to her irritation – the brake truck often didn't make an appearance until after lunch. But was that a hint of urgency that she had detected in his voice?

"Nope, I'm afraid not," the freezer truck shook her head, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. There was always an air of elegance about her that Caboose found captivating. He found it difficult to tear his eyes away from the truck as she gave a pout. "He's gone down to the hall earlier today. Last I heard Control was needing him. Anything I can help with?"

It took all of his restraint not to stamp his foot in frustration. He could feel the sense of urgency building up inside of him; this couldn't wait.

"Oh, uh…nah, I just wanted a quick word," Caboose tried to keep it casual, leaning against the shed door. "Nothing important."

"Oh, hey Caboose!"

The cheery outburst from the dynamite truck as she waltzed up behind him and into the shed startled him, causing him to flinch. Volta crossed her arms, observing the brake truck intently.

"Holy Starlight, Joule!" he exclaimed, giving the younger train a scowl as he regained his composure.

Joule giggled, giving the brake truck a friendly nudge. "Looking for Electra?"

"Uh…yeah. Volta's just said Control summoned him early."

Joule nodded. "It sounded like he was maybe getting deployed-"

At that, Caboose suddenly turned on his heel and dashed off. "I've just realised I've forgotten to tell him something important about tomorrow!" he shouted over his shoulder, making up an excuse on the spot, hoping it wasn't too obvious. He needed to catch Electra before he was sent out.

Volta rolled out of the shed to watch him go, her brow furrowed.

"He's up to something."

Joule joined her sister's side, looking at her questioningly.

"Like what?"

"I don't know," the freezer truck sighed. "But I don't like it."

* * *

A couple of night's later, the yard was struck by a particularly bad storm. Dinah and Greaseball had not long retired to bed when the elements released their rage. Outside, the wind howled, pummeling the depot's windows like an almighty punch and causing them to shake, the rain lashing the roof like heavy darts. A loud boom of thunder shocked the whole household awake and rose a scream from the other room as a flash of white light illuminated the depot, the zagged bolt ripping the sky in half.

"Dinah!" Luna wailed, racing into the bedroom and diving onto the bed, tears streaking her cheeks.

The dining car immediately sat up in bed to comfort the girl, allowing her to curl up to her.

"It's alright, Luna," she soothed, stroking her long brown hair. "It's just a storm. It'll pass soon."

As another rumble of thunder rolled across the sky above them, reverberating around the depot, the child sobbed louder and buried her head into Dinah's shoulder. Greaseball reached for the bedside lamp only to find it didn't work.

"The electricity must be down…" he rolled over to face Luna as she gave him a worried glance. "Nothing that Wrench can't fix!" he winked.

"And you know what?" Dinah tilted her head. "Pearl doesn't like storms either."

At the mention of the first class coach, Luna clutched her teddy closer to her chest. Pearl had gifted the stuffed bear – named Saffie – to the girl as an early fourth birthday present and ever since Luna had taken it everywhere with her. It was something she associated with the pink coach and just then, it brought some comfort. Her eyes grew wide and it seemed to give a bit of reassurance. "Really?"

Dinah nodded.

"I think the only train who likes storms is Electra!" chuckled Greaseball in an attempt to make light of the situation and distract Luna.

Dinah laughed and turned to face him. "Do you remember that one time we got locked out in that bad storm with Ashley and Buffy?"

Greaseball grinned at the memory. The four of them had stayed out past their curfew and had ignored the signs of the approaching storm. The girls had shrieked at the torrential rain which soaked them through in seconds as they ran to the main hall, only to find it was locked. Fuelled by the exhilaration of rebellion, they had dashed to Poppa's – the nearest depot - and collapsed into a heap in his hallway, laughing hysterically. After receiving a stern reprimanding from Poppa, they had all sat around the warmth of the fire to dry off, wrapped in blankets and drinking hot cocoa.

Luna listened intently as Dinah retold the story.

"Oh, I remember Buffy wailed the whole time about her hair! She was a right drama queen!"

"Was?" exclaimed Greaseball, shooting Dinah an amused look.

Luna and Dinah burst into a fit of laughter.

"You were quite the drama queen yourself back then," Greaseball playfully nudging the dining car, a big smile spreading over his face.

Dinah threw a pillow at the diesel, which got more laughter from Luna. "I was not!"

At that, Luna stood up and started jumping on the bed. "Pillow fight! Pillow fight!"

After several moments of tumultuous fun, the trio collapsed back in bed, exhausted. Dinah winced as her stomach ached from laughter; she couldn't recall the last time she had laughed so much. Luna rolled into the middle of the bed, feeling safe between the two trains.

Greaseball propped himself up on one arm, watching quietly as the girl's eyes fluttered as she drifted back off to sleep, a gentle smile on her lips. He pulled the duvet up to keep her warm. Dinah reached a hand across to him and he took it in his, stroking it gently.

For the first time, they finally felt united. A family.

* * *

The following evening, Caboose put his plan into action. At 2am, once he was certain the trains would have all long retired to bed, he slipped out of his shed and silently made his way across to Greaseball and Dinah's depot. With the yard still in darkness, he didn't have to worry about being seen. More importantly, it would be easier to notice if someone was approaching. Much to Wrench's frustration, although she had been able to restore the power following the storm, she had been baffled by another sudden outage. Electra had convinced her to wait until morning to fix it, assuring her she'd be able to see better in the daylight. Enough time to get the job done. The other day, Caboose had remembered he still had Greaseball's spare key from ages ago and he was almost certain the diesel had forgotten he even still had it. He knew it would come in use for something. After hesitating outside the depot for several minutes, he carefully slotted the key into the lock and turned it, gently opening the door. The depot was still. Caboose made his way through the hallway into the open-plan kitchen/lounge and along to the master bedroom. The bedroom door was slightly ajar. Caboose rested an ear to the door and took the quietness as confirmation that both Dinah and Greaseball were fast asleep. With that, he proceeded into the girl's bedroom at the side.

The girl was curled up on her side, her dark hair spilling onto her pillow. In her arms, she clutched a small teddy bear.

"Luna," he whispered. "Luna, wake up."

The girl stirred, rubbing her eyes. "C.B?"

"Shh! Listen, some of the trains are having a sleepover at mine. We have lots of candy and popcorn and we're away to watch a movie. Wanna come?"

Luna hesitated.

"Pearl and Rusty are there. It was Pearl who actually suggested I come get you so you didn't miss out."

At that, the girl threw back her cover and slipped out of bed.

"You gotta be real quiet though, ok? It's top secret!"

Luna nodded excitedly. Caboose grinned as he took the girl's hand and lead her out of the depot, locking the door behind him. This was too easy!

As he started in the direction of the component sheds, the girl started asking a slew of questions.

"Aren't Dinah and Greaseball allowed to come?"

"Nah, this is for special VIPs only, kiddo. Only the youngsters are invited!"

"Will there be chocolate?"

"Oh, you bet!"

"Can we invite Aunt Ashley and Aunt Buffy?"

"Uh, no. Like I said, youngsters only. They are boring anyway."

"Nuh uh!" the girl shook her head defensively. "They play with me all the time!"

"Pearl's gonna be there. I'm sure she'll play some games with you."

The girl excitedly clapped her hands. For a moment, they walked in silence and Caboose breathed a sigh of relief. Gosh, the kids could talk!

"Are we there yet?"

Caboose grimaced. Now he understood Greaseball's venting. At that, the brake truck whipped around, Luna dragging her heels as her feet grew tired, and he snatched Saffie from under her arm.

"I meant to say, you can't bring teddies to the sleepover. They are for babies."

He had intended to use the teddy to spur Luna on faster, but he soon realised he had made a huge mistake. The girl's eyes grew big with horror and she let out a piercing scream. Caboose tugged the child's arm and tried to muffle her cries by covering her mouth, but it only made the girl thrash furiously and she managed to wriggle free, making a run for it. Caboose frantically dashed after her; now he was in danger of being caught. Luna stumbled ahead before colliding with Joule.

"Woah! Slow down, Luna!"

Seeing the girl was visibly distressed and realising she was dressed only in her pyjamas, the dynamite truck immediately scooped her up into her arms. "What are you doing out here?"

Her eyes met Caboose who was gasping for breath. Her eyes narrowed, recalling Volta's suspicions the other day.

"What's going on?"

Luna instinctively reached out a hand for her teddy with a whimper, which Joule noticed C.B had gripped in his hand. He looked at the stuffed bear then back to Joule.

"Oh, uh…I found Luna out here on her own," he shook the teddy. "She'd just dropped her teddy…" he added, as means of justification of being in possession of the child's toy.

But Joule wasn't convinced. She could see from the fretful look Luna gave him as he returned her teddy that something was amiss. Luna flinched as her hand met Caboose's. The girl clutched her toy protectively close to her, burrowing her head into Joule's chest. She had interrupted something.

"Is that Luna?" Volta and Wrench appeared behind the dynamite truck, having also heard the girl's scream.

Joule noted how Caboose shifted uneasily, finding the additional company unnerving.

"What were you doing with her, Caboose?" the young truck demanded, her voice firm.

Caboose sighed. "I told you. I found her wandering out here on her own, I was just away to take her home."

Joule's lip twitched. She didn't believe him, not for one second. He was hiding something. She felt the girl begin to shiver in the cold night air. Joule was reluctant to leave, wanting to interrogate Caboose further, but the girl was tired and cold. She had to get her into the warmth.

"Come on," she wiped away a tear from the girl's cheeks, giving her a comforting smile. "Let's get you back home."

Caboose cursed under his breath as Joule turned and rolled off. Electra wasn't going to be happy…

The freezer truck stepped forward and looked him right in the eye, delivering a stark warning.

"Don't you dare touch Luna again or I'll make sure you never race another day in your life."

* * *

"Caboose?!" exclaimed Dinah, as Joule explained her encounter with the brake truck and Luna back at the depot.

Joule nodded. "I have no idea what he was up to, but it was no good. I know that much."

"But how did he get Luna, the door was…" Greaseball's eyes lit up with rage. He clenched his fists as he realised that C.B had done. "That son of a-"

"Greaseball!" Dinah shot a warning glance at the diesel, aware Luna was all ears, clinging to her side. She had been unwilling to go back to bed without them both. She needed the comfort and reassurance of the two trains in case C.B. made a return visit.

"I'll change the locks first thing tomorrow. I'll also pay that break truck a visit," Greaseball said, flexing his hands, itching to give the Caboose what for.

He put a hand on Dinah's shoulder. "Why don't you and Luna go back to bed? I'll take Joule back to her depot and make sure she gets home safe."

The dynamite truck waved a hand. "I'll be fine, don't worry about me. Volta will be on the look out for me coming back anyway."

Dinah gave the young train a look of concern. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah! Honestly, I'm fine. You two stay here and get Luna settled."

With that, Joule crouched down to the girl's level and held out her arms for a hug. Luna obliged, wrapping her small arms around the dynamite truck's neck. Joule ruffled the girl's hair with a smile before bidding good night.

Dinah lead Luna into their bedroom and allowed the girl to curl up between her and Greaseball once more. She held her close, afraid that if she didn't she'd be snatched from her again.

What did she have to do to keep her safe?

* * *

C.B cursed again loudly as he made his way to Electra's shed, head bowed. He had been so close. As he approached, he found Electra standing in the doorway, his face stone cold, telling Caboose he was unimpressed. "Where is the girl?"

C.B. bit his lip. "I lost her. She screamed and alerted Joule and the others," he looked the electric straight in the eye. "They know I'm up to something."

But to the brake truck's surprise, the electric simply shrugged and sighed. "Well then, you better make sure you regain their trust. We'll stay low for a while, give them time to forget it ever happened."

Caboose huffed. "We've no chance of getting close to the kid now! Practically the whole yard has eyes on her!"

Electra stood straight with an air of confidence that Caboose found both unnerving and comforting. Clearly, he had it all planned out.

"Then we'll just have to break them all apart, won't we?"

Caboose grinned as his face darkened. Now he was talking!

"Patience, Caboose," the electric continued, giving him a reassuring smirk. "Good things come to those who wait"

* * *

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your comments._


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: Firstly, apologies for the length of this chapter. A lot happens here and it didn't feel right to split it up into two chapters. Secondly, there is a warning for one instance of bad language. I can't believe I'm nearing the end of this fic, but have no fear, there are still a few chapters left! It's a rollercoaster from here on out though!_

* * *

" _You're losing your touch, bro!" An equally shiny electric train sidled up to Electra, flashing a grin before checking himself out in the reflection of his paintwork. "What made you so late?"_

" _The usual. A signal failure," Electra rolled his eyes at his brother._

" _Ah, humans! They expect us electrics to be punctual yet they are the ones who are so unreliable!" Sparx shook his head._

 _Electra and Sparx were known as "double trouble" at the station. The twins had arrived with such fanfare and celebration earlier in the year; hailed as the newest generation of locomotive. Built to be faster, reliable and more fuel efficient than their diesel counterparts. They attracted quite a crowd with their flashy blue and red paintwork and their dazzling Mohawks. They were an immediate hit with the coaches, who practically fell over themselves fawning over them, and idolised by the younger trains. Both trains basked in the attention. They had been glorified on the front of newspapers and magazines, featured on TV and there were even suggestions of a release of model trains, complete with their extravagant hairstyles. They were the talk of the town, by trains and humans alike._

" _Excited to be heading to New York?" Electra nudged his brother._

 _He hadn't made any attempt to conceal his jealousy at Sparx being selected for deployment to New York, although he couldn't stay mad at him for long._

" _Sure am! I can't wait to check out all the coaches!" The electric ran a hand effortlessly though his hair. "I heard the New York ladies are a catch!"_

 _At that, Electra wrinkled his nose in annoyance. When his brother didn't respond, Sparx laughed and gave him a playful punch on the arm. "Cheer up bro! I'll be sure to bring a pretty one back for you!"_

 _At that, Electra's lips curled into a smile. "You better or I'll disown you!"_

 _Jut then, the station tannoy announced the next departure to New York._

" _That's me! Best be heading!" As Sparx pushed forward toward the platform, he glanced over his shoulder to his brother. "Don't miss me too much!"_

 _As he wasn't scheduled for departure for another hour, he decided to see his brother off properly and follow him up by the separate track which swept up the hill to give him the perfect view. After a few moments, he heard the whistle declaring departure and Electra dashed ahead up towards the hill. He grinned with delight as he reached the viewpoint; his brother wouldn't be impressed that he got there first. The electric watched as his brother glided effortlessly along the single track, picking up speed. He glanced to the side and gave a brief whistle of acknowledgement which Electra returned with a grin. Then, something caught Electra's attention in his peripheral vision._

 _It all happened so fast._

 _A frantic blast of a horn. The screech of brakes. An almighty smash. The crushing of steel. Then, just mangled and twisted metal remained, an eerie silence falling. Electra couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene._

 _It had only taken five seconds. Five seconds and his brother had been obliterated in front of his eyes, torn to shreds. Ripped away mercilessly. Electra had watched as several humans crawled out of the wreckage of both trains, many clearly injured. He watched as a young girl, no older than five or six, scrambled from the wreckage, seemingly unscathed. Their eyes met. The girl, pale as a sheet, stared at him blankly, her face devoid of emotion. In that moment, Electra was overcome with rage and hatred._

 _Human error; that's what the police had concluded in their investigation into the crash. The dispatcher responsible was charged with negligence and sentenced to two year's imprisonment._

" _Ah, humans…they are the ones who are unreliable!" his brother's fateful words echoed in his ears._

 _Once they had completed their investigation, the remnants of his brother had been sent to the scrapyard. There, the humans stripped what little they deemed sellable, before the remains were unceremoniously shredded. They had no respect for trains. Sparx hadn't deserved that kind of send off. Electra could only watch on in anger._

A shrill whistle reverberating in his ears snapped Electra awake. He untangled himself from the sheets, soaked with sweat, and sat on the edge of the bed. He could never escape from that reoccurring nightmare. Some nights, he would just hear his brother's voice. Other times, he would relive that fateful morning, minute by minute. But every time he would see that horrific image; the grim aftermath of the head-on collision. He would always wake full of overwhelming rage and he loathed the world in those few minutes after awakening. Normally, Electra would simply head out to the gym before the rest of the yard awoke and work it out but today was different. There was only so many times he could withstand seeing those haunting images and do nothing.

He was going to do what he'd always set out to do and nobody was going to stand in his way.

He would get his revenge.

* * *

"It's today! It's today!"

Luna burst into the bedroom like a whirlwhind, fuelled with excitement as she jumped up and down on the bed. Greaseball groaned, covering his head with a pillow. He could prepare himself for the girl's loud nature on early mornings that were more predictable: Christmas Day and Luna's birthday perhaps. But today did not justify disrupting the peace and quiet he had been enjoying. Dinah, on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh at the girl; she wouldn't have it any other way.

"C'mon Greaseball! You gotta get up!" the girl cried, making an attempt to snatch the pillow from his head as she continued to bounce.

Underneath the pillow, Greaseball grinned and decided there was only one thing for it. He leapt up and gave a playful roar as he made to grab Luna by the waist, hauling her down and tickling her, filling the room with her bubbly laughter. Beside them, Dinah propped herself up on one arm, watching on with a smile, Luna's laughter music to her ears.

"So Luna, who do you want to win today?"

Dinah had promised Luna that after her fifth birthday she could watch the races and ever since that day two weeks prior, the girl hadn't stopped talking about it. Today was the heats and everyone was pumped for it.

"You and Greaseball!" Luna exclaimed without hesitation, throwing her arms in the air, before stopping to consider this further. She furrowed her brow as she proceeded to count off the other trains on her fingers. "But I have to cheer on Pearl and Rusty and Aunt Ashley and Aunt Buffy…oh, and Joulie and Volta!"

"So…just about everyone then?" Greaseball chuckled, ruffling the girl's long hair.

Luna nodded furiously.

Well, I have no doubt you'll be the best cheerleader!" Greaseball said as he finally rolled out of bed.

"Come on then, sunshine," Dinah smiled, tapping the girl's nose playfully. "We better get some breakfast!"

* * *

Later that morning, Dinah and Greaseball rolled up to the racetrack, Luna in tow on her new bike. Having outgrown her pink bike and no longer requiring training wheels, Rusty and Pearl had gifted her a new bike for her birthday. This time, the frame was a sky blue with a streak of purple, with pink streamers flowing from the handlebars and a white wicker basket at the front, perfect for Saffie to accompany her on cycles. Seeing the other trains huddled together as they chatted excitedly before the heats, she quickly pedaled ahead. But, as she got closer, she was abruptly stopped by a heavy foot on her bike wheel. Luna visibly squirmed and shrunk in discomfort as her eyes met Electra's ice cold glare.

"And just where do you think you're going?" the electric towered over her, further intimidating the girl.

Luna gulped. Before she could try to respond, Greaseball stormed over, having witnessed Electra halt the girl in her tracks. "Leave her alone, Electra!" he cautioned

By this time, the other trains had heard the commotion and had gathered round. Once again, Electra had an audience.

"The racetrack is no place for a child," Electra growled, his jaw clenched.

Dinah joined his side, arms folded. "She isn't gonna be on the track. She's just hear to watch."

Seeing Luna's anxious expression, Greaseball shoved the electric off of her bike. "Back off from her! She's just a kid! She's no threat to your precious race!" His last sentence was full of mockery and it only served to further agitate Electra.

"Control! Control!" The familiar authoritative voice over the tannoy interrupted them. "Heat one in fifteen minutes!"

Nostrils flared, Electric gave the girl a final glower before he turned to leave to find C.B. The other trains dispersed to prepare, leaving just Pearl, Dinah and Greaseball.

Greaseball's eyes bored into Electra's back as he left. "I'm gonna make sure I kick his electric ass today." He turned to Dinah. "Meet you at the starting line."

With that, he too rolled off. Dinah had approached Pearl yesterday and had asked if she would mind watching Luna whilst she raced with Greaseball seeing as she and Rusty were in the second heat. Pearl, as expected, was more than happy to help.

The younger coach crouched down to the girl's level, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You ok, sweetpea?"

Luna's smile quickly returned at the term of endearment. "Yup!" she nodded firmly.

With that, the pair guided Luna towards the edge of the track by the grandstands. Dinah knelt to the girl's level, resting a hand on the girl's handlebars.

"Alright Luna, you stay here with Pearl, ok? Now, see that line?" The dining car carefully pointed out the thick white line that marked the very outer edge of the track. "You mustn't cross that line, you understand? It's very dangerous out there on the track when the races are on."

"Don't cross the line. Got it!" the girl gave the thumbs up.

Content that the girl would be safe, Dinah stood. "Alright, see you at the finish line," She turned to leave.

"Dinah!"

She hesitated and gently turned her head.

"You're gonna win," Luna said with a confident smile. "I know it!"

* * *

"Three….two…one….trains gone!"

The first four sets of trains launched themselves out onto the track:

Bobo and Buffy, Hashamoto and Volta, Greaseball and Dinah and Electra and C.B. Electra confidently bolts ahead to take the lead, much to Greaseball's frustration, making him work harder and build up more speed. The heat was remarkably uneventful which made Greaseball wary. It wasn't like Electra and Caboose not to play dirty. As they rounded the corner nearing the finishing line, Electra grinned. Now was his moment. Falling back slightly, allowing Greaseball and the others to briefly get ahead, he eyed Luna at the edge of the track, the pretty first class car standing just behind, distracted as she spoke to Rusty. He outstretched his arm and used his magnetism on the girl's bike to shift her front wheel and pull it forward. Luna, enraptured by the race astride her bike, at first doesn't register the subtle movement of her bike. As the trains thundered down the track with the finishing line in their sights, a sudden pull throws her bike out into the centre of the track in front of them. Greaseball is the first to clock the flash of blue and purple. He slammed on his breaks, causing him to skid and uncouple Dinah and sending them both careering into the path of Bobo and Buffy. Buffy shrieked as Dinah collided with her and they roll off the track, narrowly missing being struck by Hashamoto and Volta as they pass on the outer track lane. Dinah clipped Hashamoto as she rolled off the track, throwing the Japanese train off course and sending him and Volta off the track too. Only Electra and C.B manage to escape unscathed, rolling to a stop at the edge of the track. The racetrack fell silent as the dust settled. Frozen in the middle, Luna was trembling, tears streaking down her cheeks, her heart pounding. What had just happened? How had she ended up on the tracks? Her eyes wide with fear, she desperately whirled her head around in search of the dining car.

"Dinah!" she howled, her voice breaking as she sobbed.

But it was Pearl who was first to respond to the girl's cries, racing over to her and skidding to a stop.

"Luna! Are you ok?"

But the girl ignored her question. "Where's Dinah?" she whimpered, unable to move from her bike. Her hands were gripping the handlebars so tightly her knuckles were white.

Dazed, the racers began to lift themselves from the ground. Ashley raced over to the two coaches as Dinah helped a shaky Buffy to her feet, the buffet car's face covered in cuts from the collision.

"What the hell happened?" Greaseball demanded.

But nobody had the answer. Leaving Buffy with Ashley, Dinah dashed over to Luna and effortlessly lifted the inconsolable girl into her arms. She turned and gave a look of disbelief at Pearl beside her.

"You were supposed to be watching her," the dining car said, her voice steady and firm. She couldn't even look the younger coach in the eye and she turned her back to the pink coach as Luna nuzzled into her hair.

"Dinah, I-"

"I asked you to watch her because I trusted you!" Dinah spun around. The outburst, so out of character for the usually sweet and gentle coach, made Pearl stagger back.

From the sidelines Electra watched, grinning ear to ear. He was tearing them apart, piece by piece. His plot may have failed but he'd taken another step towards getting rid of the brat. Causing tension between the coaches was a sure fine way of making the girl more vulnerable. Ashley and Buffy joined Dinah's side, the buffet car still visibly shaken from the crash. Ashley wrapped an arm around her in support.

Without tearing her eyes away from the pink coach, Dinah spoke. "Come on, girls. Let's go."

As the coaches rolled off towards the diner, the smoking car cast a sympathetic glance back at Pearl over her shoulder. The pink coach could only watch as her friends left, a single tear trailing down her cheek. It had all happened so quickly. She couldn't explain it; how Luna had ended up on the tracks. One minute she had been happily sat astride her bike watching with excitement as the trains approached the finishing line, the next she was paralysed in fear on the track. Rusty quietly rolled up behind her and squeezed her hand.

"I've let everyone down," she whispered, not lifting her eyes from the ground. "I just…don't know how it happened."

Rusty wrapped his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. But for once, Pearl couldn't find any comfort; one question niggling away.

How did it happen?

* * *

By the time Dinah reached the diner with Ashley and Buffy, she was dealing with an unfolding tantrum whilst also trying to keep her own anger in check. There was so many thoughts swirling in her head. Why had Luna disobeyed her? Why had Pearl not been keeping a closer eye on her? None of which she had answers for. _"I bet he thinks I can't race! But one day, I'll show him!"_ Surely she hadn't been trying to prove herself to Greaseball? Maybe she'd gone out on the track to race them at the final stretch and it went wrong?

"Dinah! It wasn't Pearl!" Luna cried for the umpteenth time.

"Luna, enough!" the dining car sighed as she reached into the freezer for a bag of frozen peas and passed them to Buffy to nurse the bruise that was blooming on her cheek.

But Luna was insistent. "NO!" she shouted, hot tears in her eyes, her fists clenched, her foot stomping the ground. She needed to be heard. "This is not her fault!"

Dinah could feel her patience wearing thin. She knew the girl would be quick to defend Pearl; she was fond of the younger coach so it was only natural. But it didn't help the anger that was boiling within her. She felt betrayed. Hurt. She had entrusted Luna to the first class car. She thought she'd be safe.

"Luna, stop it!"

The girl climbed into the bar stool next to Ashley with a scowl on her face and slammed her hand on the counter.

"It wasn't Pearl! My bike moved! It wasn't Pearl! My bike…" Luna hesitated, searching for the word. "…was pulled."

Dinah froze. Perhaps Luna was just saying that to protect Pearl but hearing her say those words sent a chill down her spine. Something didn't feel right. Buffy, tending to her bruised cheek, raised an eyebrow.

"Did you say pulled?" she turned her stool to face the girl.

Luna nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Buffy paused and her gaze fell into her lap. She thought back to the race, recalling how she'd thought it was odd that Electra had fallen behind. She'd seen him outstretch his arm from the corner of her eye as she and Bobo had past him…He had tried to sabotage the race.

"That son of a-"

"That brat needs to go!" Electra burst into the diner, striding towards the counter.

Dinah whipped around the counter, her patience snapped. "Now just you wait a second-"

"You saw what happened back there! She could have killed someone! This is exactly why I wanted her rid of in the first instance! Humans can't be trusted!"

Before any of the coaches could speak, Electra made his move.

"I'm finishing this once and for all!"

He made a grab for Luna's arm, just as Dinah and Ashley leapt into action, the dining car shielding Luna as she blocked his hand, the smoking cart twisting his other arm behind his back. Electra smirked.

"You'll be sorry you ever protected her."

As he shocked them both, Pearl raced into the diner, having heard the commotion and took Luna's hand, guiding her out of the diner. Electra spun around and made a move towards them before Buffy blocked his path. This time she would stand her ground.

"Go ahead!" she said brazenly, head held high. "You'll never get Luna!"

Pearl took the opportunity to escape as the electric shocked the buffet car. As she heard her friend gasp, she had to force herself not to look back; she had to save Luna. As Dinah and Ashley recovered to their feet, they made their getaway. Ashley stopped in her tracks and turned back for Buffy. She refused to leave with her. Electra recharged, preparing to shock her again.

"Ash, go!"

Buffy leapt up and pinned the electric against the wall as the smoking car hesitantly obeyed, racing out of the diner to follow Pearl and Dinah. The buffet car looked Electra in the eye.

"You're a sick, twisted piece of metal!" she growled.

Furious and overloaded with electricity in his rage, the electric tightly gripped Buffy's shoulders and delivered another shock with a cackle.

Outside, Pearl had regrouped with Rusty, Greaseball, Volta and Joule by the components sheds, Dinah and Ashley catching up behind.

"We have to keep moving," Ashley urged, trying to catch her breath. "There's only so long Buffy will be able to hold him off for."

But they were too late. They could hear the furious buzzing of the electric train as he approached, storming towards them, C.B. shadowing behind. The group could see the blue flashes of electricity as it circulated through him. He was wired and ready. In response, Greaseball pushed Dinah and Luna behind him as the others formed a protective chain, standing their ground.

"This is over Electra!" Greaseball cried, his eyes narrowed in defiance.

Electra silently rolled up to the diesel, his eyes wild and frenzied. Without warning, he shocked Greaseball with a single jolt of electricity, causing Dinah to gasp. Greaseball tensed, his fists clamped tight as he gritted his teeth, bearing the searing pain as it rippled through him. He refused to let himself fall.

The electric laughed. "You can't win, you fool! The girl is mine!"

At that, another shock struck. A cry ripped from the diesel's throat as the pain brings him to his knees. Dinah, now exposed, grips Luna tighter. Rusty races to their defence only to be stopped by a blow from C.B, knocking the steam train to the ground. As Rusty tries to get back to his feet, another punch knocks him back down. Pearl flinches beside Dinah, as she stifled a cry.

"Not such a tough steamer now, are you Rusty!" C.B mocked.

Electra smirked, his arms outstretched. "Does anyone else want to have a try?"

Then, the dynamite truck rolled forward, quick as a flash and caught C.B. off guard. She kicked him down to the ground before Electra grabbed her from behind, lifting her up from the ground by the throat.

"I bet you thought you were being smart disobeying me!"

Joule choked and flailed frantically as his grip tightened around her throat.

"Not my sister, you bastard!"

Volta ploughed full force into the electric, knocking him to the ground, releasing Joule. Seeing their chance, Ashley, Pearl and Dinah made a run for it with Luna. Electra cried in fury as he shocked the sisters, before rising to his feet. He pulled C.B up from the ground.

"Stop them!" bellowed the electric, as the pair bolted after the coaches. C.B. set his sights on Pearl as she desperately tried to keep up with the older coaches. As she slipped behind, Caboose powered up and grabbed a fistful of her pink hair, pulling her to the ground. Her scream makes Ashley falter and look back as Electra approached. The smoking car quickly falls victim to his powers and Dinah could only watch helplessly as she crumpled to the ground, paralysed by the crippling agony of the shock.

The chain weakened, it was now just her and Luna. Electra narrowed his eyes at the dining car.

"Hand her over, Dinah. Don't make this difficult for yourself."

Dinah glanced down at the girl as she clutched her hand. She was shocked by the girl's eyes that met hers. There wasn't a trace of fear in her features. She looked calm; almost serene.

"It's ok, Dinah. I'm not scared of him."

Just then, she felt the child release her hand and before she knew it, the girl was slowly approaching the electric.

"Luna!" Instinctively, she went to grab the girl back but felt a strong grip restrain her. Greaseball had joined her side.

"Let her go, Dinah," he whispered into her ear as the dining car looked on.

Luna stopped in front of the electric, her face soft.

"I know you're hurting."

The simple words made Electra freeze. He looked at the girl, her long brown hair whipped by the wind. Surely she couldn't know. It was impossible…

"What did you say?"

"You're hurting," the girl repeated, her voice steady. "You've felt alone all these years but you were determined to be the superstar train you were before."

Electra cast a glance back at Joule and Volta; just two parts of his component entourage that had made him who he was.

"Humans became your enemy; a threat. You blamed them for what happened. What you forgot was that others were hurting too."

A flash of a memory; the crash. The noise. The dust. The girl.

The girl pulled from the wreckage. There to serve as a reminder that he wasn't the only victim that day. It wasn't just his brother involved in the crash; it was human lives too. The crash had been a tragedy on many counts. Whilst Electra had lost his brother, other people had also lost their loved ones: mothers, fathers, sisters, sons, daughters… Electra recalled the newspaper headline the following morning: 150 dead after train crash tragedy. The girl. How her vacant blue eyes had bore right through him…he had been stunned at how blue they were. Those very eyes were now staring back at him.

Electra, for the first time, felt powerless. He sunk to his knees, the other trains watching in disbelief as they slowly gathered around. The girl took another step towards him as he lifted his head, revealing tears in his eyes. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed; a multitude of emotions washing over him. The girl had made him feel again. After his brother's death, he had shut off his emotions, only feeling anger. Now, the true scale of his actions hit home. He didn't want to be this monster, this beast that had reared it's ugly head before his brother had even been shredded. He looked at the girl, then to each of the trains around him, one by one, each of them bearing the scars of his conflict. His war. And for what? He now realised disposing of Luna wouldn't have achieved anything; it wouldn't bring his brother back. In fact, it would have broken the yard apart, this family unit like no other. It would have been him that would have destroyed it all.

"I'm sorry," he uttered, shaking his head.

To his surprise, when he lifted his head, his eyes met Greaseball, his hand outstretched. He hesitantly took it and rose to his feet. Before he could find the words to say anything, he was interrupted by the smoking car.

"Wait," Ashley looked around frantically. "Where's Buffy?"

* * *

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your comments._


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Note: Ok guys, serious warning here. Writing this next chapter made me an emotional wreck. Go on and judge me, but I know you'll all have your hearts ripped out too. Sorry in advance._

* * *

"Wait," Ashley looked around frantically. "Where's Buffy?"

Back at the diner, Buffy lay where she had fallen, stricken by Electra's brute force. She had braced herself for the jolt of electricity but nothing could have prepared her for the sheer intensity. She had felt the shock run down her entire body, bringing with it a crippling pain. Then, she felt her limbs seize up and lock; incapacitated, as if the electricity had been binding her tightly in chains. For a moment, it had felt like time had stood still. As she'd looked into Electra's frenzied stare, it had seemed like she had been suspended in the air, before she felt a huge release and she collapsed to the ground. Now, all that remained was an intense stabbing sensation in her chest that came and went in spasms, like someone had plunged a dagger into her and was slowly twisting it at periodic intervals.

Ashley, fraught with worry, burst into the diner and dashed to her side, gripping her hand as she fell to her knees, the other trains quietly congregating in the background. She only had to cast her eyes over the buffet car's broken form to realise she had been mortally wounded.

"Buffy…" the smoking car whispered, tears shining in her eyes.

As time had past, the coach's breathing had grown laboured, every breath harder than the last as she fought against the pain. Buffy could feel her heart slowing; in her solitude she had already surrendered to the fact she was losing the battle. Now, she took comfort in Ashley's presence.

"What are the chances of being struck by lightning? One in a million?" she let out a weak laugh, before wincing. The deep burning in her chest seared as a reminder. Ashley hushed the coach as she shook her head, gently stroking her hair as she cradled her. Trust Buffy to try to crack a joke.

"Aunt Buffy?"

The timid, trembling voice of the young girl made Ashley look up as she approached with Dinah, tears falling down her small rosy cheeks. Buffy slowly turned her head to face Luna and gave her a weak smile. She tentatively reached out a hand to beckon her closer. Luna carefully knelt and burrowed her face into the coach.

"Hey, listen," Buffy whispered, hearing the girl's muffled sniffles. She made Luna draw back to look her in the eyes. "You are super special. Always remember that and don't let anyone tell you different, ok?

Luna nodded. "You'll get better though, won't you?" The hopefulness in the girl's voice made Ashley choke on her sobs. If only that could be the case.

Buffy shook her head. "I don't think so, Luna," she whispered, biting her lip.

As realisation spread over the girl's face, Luna began to cry harder as she shook her head fiercely. "No!" she cried. "You can't go!"

Desperate to calm the child, Buffy grabbed her small hand. "Remember the Lights?"

This seemed to soothe the girl slightly. "Will you be up there with Rusty's Momma?"

"Yeah, I'll be watching from up there."

At that, Luna gave Buffy a final hug before shuffling back to allow Dinah to take the coach's hand as she desperately tried to fight back her own tears.

"You saved us…" she managed before she became choked up. Buffy drew her friend close and wiped away her tears.

"You've both had my back all these years…I had yours." Buffy shrugged, looking between both of her friends on either side of her, Ashley to her left, Dinah to her right. "It's what best friends do."

As a stronger searing jolt of pain shot through her chest, Buffy convulsed and gasped, clutching Ashley's hand tighter. Greaseball gently drew Dinah and Luna back to give her space as they looked on, the coach writhing in agony; her whole body in spasm. After a moment, the pain subsided and she visibly relaxed and sunk back into Ashley's arms, exhausted. She was fading away right in front of their eyes and she knew it. With every episode of pain, her vision deteriorated; becoming blurry and contorted, her breathing became shallow as her chest grew tight and she could feel her heart falter. She was running out of time.

"Ash…you've been the best friend a girl could…ever ask for," the buffet car said through ragged breaths.

It only made the smoking car's tears flow faster. "What will I do without you?" she wept. "You're my partner in crime. I can't…I don't know what to do without you! Please…don't leave me."

Hearing her friend beg was like a further stab to the heart. How she desperately wanted to stay. Despite the ache she felt, she smiled, a single tear trailing down her cheek. "You'll be alright. Just…look after Dinah and Pearl. Promise me you'll stick together..."

Ashley nodded vigorously, taking the coach's hand once more and comfortingly stroking it with her thumb. "I promise."

In the background, Pearl silently took Dinah's hand and gave it a firm squeeze as she cried softly. _We'll stick together._

As the coach drew her last breath, another solitary tear fell down Buffy's cheek, before her eyes drifted shut and her body fell limp. Ashley pulled her close and sobbed uncontrollably.

The whole diner fell into a mournful silence, punctuated only by the sorrowful sniffs of the other trains. The room, despite being packed full, suddenly felt empty; the gaping hole left by their friend.

After a moment, Electra took a step towards the smoking car as she continued to cradle her friend, rocking back and forth as she wept. Seeing him approach, she drew a deep breath in an effort to control her tears and gently laid the buffet car down, as carefully as if she were made of glass. Then, she rose to her feet, her face darkening as she suddenly filled with anguish and rage.

"Get away from her!" she shoved the electric away forcefully, her voice packed with venom. "You did this! This is all your fault! You killed her!"

The tearful tirade from the smoking car shouldn't have surprised him. He raised his hands as if in surrender. "I didn't mean to shock her so hard! I was angry, just…let me try and fix it!"

"No!" Ashley cried, her voice trembling. "You don't touch her!"

Electra stood up tall, his face growing dark and serious. "I'm the only one who can save her!" he yelled.

He immediately regretted it. He didn't mean to raise his voice but he desperately wanted to get through to Ashley in her grief. If he could have had the opportunity to save his brother that fateful day he would have. At least now, he had the chance to try and make things right. He had made a terrible mistake – in his fury had been too powerful – and now he needed to rectify it. He _had_ to. Because although he wouldn't dare admit it, he didn't want anyone going through the pain he had experienced with losing Sparx. Not even the smoking car. And Buffy, no matter how irritating he had found her on days when she had been all ranting and raving, she hadn't deserved this. She wasn't meant to die.

At that, all of the trains looked to the electric. He was right, only he was capable of potentially saving Buffy's life. Ashley was rendered speechless, shaking uncontrollably. Rusty gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"He's right, Ash. Let him at least try," he whispered in her ear.

Taking a deep breath, Ashley forced herself to turn around and gaze at Buffy's lifeless form on the floor. She wanted – no, _needed_ – her back. Buffy had been more than a friend to her, more like a sister. They had been together since they were kids. Inseparable. She would do anything to have her back. She turned back to face Electra and simply nodded, moving aside.

Electra approached Buffy and knelt beside her. The buffet car was so pale, yet, as he placed a hand on her chest, he could feel her skin was still warm, not yet turned cold. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing, slowing down his heart rate and used his energy to deliver a controlled burst of electricity to her heart. Ashley and Pearl, standing on either side of Rusty, both turned away unable to watch. Greaseball held Dinah's hand as she looked on, Luna clinging tightly to her side. Volta drew Joule into a comforting hug as the other components watched in silence. Even C.B bowed his head. When Buffy remained unresponsive, Electra growled in frustration before gritting his teeth and calming himself again. He wasn't giving up, he refused to give up. _I'm sorry, brother. Please, let me save her_. Sending up a silent prayer, he shifted back into position and delivered another jolt. As he gripped the coach's wrist, he breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the reassuring presence of a pulse. He cast his eyes to the sky. _Thank you_.

He watched as the buffet car's chest began to rise and fall and retreated as her eyes began to flicker. The whole room gave a sigh, releasing the tension as relief flowed in. Ashley stood aghast before collapsing at the coach's side, fresh tears of relief and joy springing to her eyes as the buffet car awoke.

"The Starlight didn't want me then," she murmured, managing a smile.

The smoking car laughed, enveloping her in a hug. After a few moments, Rusty rolled forward and gingerly scooped the coach into his arms, gently kissing her on the forehead.

"We thought we'd lost you, Buffers. It's good to have you back," he grinned.

At that, he carefully rolled out of the diner with Buffy to take her back to her depot to rest, Ashley close on his heels. As the rest of the trains dispersed, Electra, Dinah, Pearl and Greaseball hung back. Greaseball silently took Luna's hand and led her out, giving Dinah a knowing glance. Pearl hesitated before she too turned and left, leaving Electra and Dinah alone. The electric remained silent and turned to leave, despondent and ashamed.

"Electra?" Dinah tilted her head. She watched as the electric's shoulders sank.

"I'm sorry, Dinah. For everything," he turned to face the dining car. "For all the hurt I've caused, for trying to take away that kid…" he blinked away tears as he recalled the girl's haunting words. _I know you're hurting_. He swallowed and continued.

"Buffy's right, that kid's special. She was sent from the Starlight, that I'm certain."

He hesitated then, resting his hand on the nearby bar stool as he contemplated what to say. "Did you hear about the crash a couple of year's ago with the electric and steamer?"

Dinah nodded, listening patiently.

"The electric was my brother. My twin. I witnessed the whole thing. I watched as a young girl clambered from the wreckage. I distinctly remember her eyes, such a startling blue…they had stared right through me that day, no emotion on her face. Today, I saw those very same eyes staring at me again."

Dinah's eyes grew wide as she realised what he meant. "So, you think Luna…"

"You were meant to find her, Dinah. You were always meant to find her. She was sent here to teach us all a lesson. Since the crash, I only had anger and hatred toward humans. They were a threat and nothing more. All my attempts to get rid of Luna…it made me a coward. I was frightened of her and the only thing I could think of doing was getting rid of her. I was just so determined to have her gone that I almost killed another train," Electra bit his lip. "I realised all too late that I had made a grave mistake. Luna was meant to bring everyone together, to teach us to trust and learn from one another…and I almost ripped that all away by taking her and Buffy."

Dinah rolled forward, seeing the tears form in the electric's eyes. She was about to speak when Electra shook his head.

"I can't believe that I suffered so much pain from losing my brother yet I was willing to steal Luna away from you…to hurt Buffy…for what? To avenge my brother's death by causing more pain?" Electra turned his back to the dining car. "He never would have wanted that. He would be ashamed of the monster that I've turned into."

A moment of silence sat between the two trains.

"A monster would have walked away just there," Dinah broke the silence. "You could have left Buffy. You didn't have to save her."

"How could I have stood there and done nothing when it was my fault? I saw Ashley and all I could think was how I was to blame for all her pain. For everyone's pain."

"That doesn't sound like a monster to me."

As Electra turned to face her once more, Dinah leaned over her bar with a small smile.

"I forgive you."

Electra arched his brow. Had he seriously heard her right? "What did you just say?"

"I forgive you. For everything." The dining car moved around from her bar, a look of sympathy in her eyes. "If there's one thing being a part of this family has taught me, it's that everyone deserves a second chance. We learn from our mistakes. I think we've all learnt a lesson from this one."

The electric stood, dumbfounded, as the dining car proceeded to fire up the coffee machine with a smile, as if nothing had happened. How could she find it in her to forgive him for all he had done? Noticing his astonished expression, Dinah laughed.

"Care for a coffee?"

* * *

The following morning, Pearl was surprised by a knock at the door of her depot just as she was due to leave to clock-in. Fussing with her hair, she opened to find the dining car.

"Oh, hi Dinah. Everything ok?" She moved aside, beckoning her inside.

She noted Dinah's hesitation as she stepped into the depot, how she was fidgeting with her hands. When the dining car didn't speak, Pearl tilted her head.

"Dinah, what's wrong?"

The truth was, Dinah had woken up feeling guilty. After reconciling with Electra, Dinah had had full intentions of paying Pearl a visit. She had not been a saint yesterday either and owed the first class car an apology and it had seemed wrong to have settled things with the electric and not one of her closest friends. But the day had flown by her and before she knew it, it was too late in the day. So, now here she was.

"I…I realised this morning that I didn't get the chance to apologise to you."

Pearl blinked. "What for?"

Finally, Dinah lifted her eyes from the floor. "For blaming you for what happened at the racetrack. I should have known you'd never do anything to harm Luna."

Seeing the dining car visibly upset, Pearl shook her head and quickly pulled her into a hug. "It's alright, Dinah. To be honest, I'd quite forgotten about it after what happened at the diner."

Dinah let out a laugh with relief as Pearl dabbed at her cheeks with a tissue. "Nearly losing Buffy yesterday made me realise all the fighting was so petty…I don't ever want to lose you as a friend."

"And you won't," the first class coach squeezed Dinah's hands with a reassuring smile. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me now! Buffy is right, we need to stick together."

The first class car watched as Dinah's face immediately brightened. "So we're ok?"

"As right as rain!" giggled Pearl, grabbing her bag.

"Speaking of Buffy, I was going to head down to her depot later to pay her a visit. Ash was saying she's already fed up with her moaning that she's bored stiff!"

* * *

When the pair visited later that day, they bumped into Wrench just as she was leaving, having performed a routine check-up.

"She's absolutely fine," she reassured, adjusting her helmet. "No seizures, no superficial burns…her chest pain has gone. Ridiculously lucky if you ask me. I've advised to continue bed rest today as a precaution although she should be ok to get back to normal tomorrow."

Despite being confined to her bed, the pair were relieved to see Buffy in high spirits. She was bright and rosy-cheeked; a big contrast to her pale and broken form yesterday, and was propped up with several pillows. As she perched on the edge of the bed, Pearl noticed the intricate tell-tale mark rising from Buffy's chest. It was strangely beautiful; the red fern-like pattern branding her skin like a tattoo.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Buffy smirked, seeing the young coach admiring the scarring.

"Does it hurt?"

Buffy shook her head. "Nah. Apparently it fades within a few days."

"She's totally gutted about that!" Ashley piped up from the kitchen where she was preparing tea with Dinah.

"You're just jealous!" Buffy shouted back, sharing a laugh with Pearl.

Just then, Dinah and Ashley rolled into the bedroom with a tray of drinks. Dinah handed Pearl a mug of steaming tea before joining her on the edge of the bed. Ashley set down a mug for Buffy on the bedside table before curling up on a chair beside the bed.

"So, I hear I have the Sparkplug to thank?" Buffy said, blowing gently on her tea.

Dinah and Pearl nodded simultaneously.

"The electric has become a saint overnight," the buffet car said bitterly, rolling her eyes. "After all he's put us through…"

"He seems genuinely remorseful," Dinah stirred her tea absentmindedly. "Just because I've forgiven him it doesn't mean all is forgotten. It's going to take time to rebuild trust."

Dinah's words seemed to ignite a spark in Buffy. She sprung up in bed, making Dinah and Pearl jump. "He's put you through hell, Dinah! For the past five years he's made it his mission to do whatever it takes to get rid of Luna. He tried to turn Greaseball against you. He tried to frame Pearl for what happened on the racetrack. He nearly killed me yesterday! And you forgave him, just like that?"

"Buffy…" Ashley interjected, sensing the buffet car was quickly losing her temper. But Buffy shot her a sharp look which made her lean back in her seat.

"No! I need to say this!" she insisted, before turning back to Dinah.

"I'm not saying I'm not grateful for what he did yesterday. I get it, I'd be dead if it wasn't for him. But he can't be made to think that because he's suddenly realised he's massively screwed up that he can just simply say sorry and all will be fine! Saying sorry doesn't fix what he's done!"

Pearl bit her lip and shifted uncomfortably on the bed. Dinah stared into her lap, unsure of what to say. She'd wanted to forgive Electra because it seemed the right thing to do. She didn't want to cause any more tension in the yard. She wanted things resolved, there and then, so that they could all move on.

After a minute in silence, Buffy sighed and looked at Dinah apologetically. She reached forward and took the coach's hand in hers, her voice now softer. "Look, I just care about you, ok? I don't want to see you getting hurt anymore."

"I know that," Dinah nodded. "I just want this to be in the past now. I want us all to be able to move on."

Ashley stood then. "There's no point fighting over it. Let's just start afresh tomorrow. Dinah's right; it's going to take a while for us to be able to trust Electra or Caboose, but we can at least all try and get along. Nobody is saying things are going to just magically go back to how it used to be before all this started."

All of them nodded in agreeance.

The smoking car nudged Buffy playfully, changing the subject. "Better prepare everyone for the return of Little Miss Sassy tomorrow!"

Pearl and Dinah laughed as Buffy swatted at Ashley jokingly. Then, the buffet car pulled the three coaches in for a hug.

"I'm really lucky to have you three. The Starlight really did give me the best friends."

In that moment, the four coaches felt maybe, just maybe, it wasn't impossible for things to return to some sort of normality. Little did they know they still had one final challenge to face.

* * *

 _*The temporary scarring I described on Buffy is referred to as a "Lichtenburg figure". It's a unique skin lesion which is caused by the capillaries under the skin being broken from electrical discharge._

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your comments._


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's Note: I'm not going to lie, writing this final chapter broke my heart. Several times. It's been a rollercoaster of a ride for these trains and the journey is finally coming to an end. But no fear, I have another Starlight 'fic in the works! I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has taken the time to read and review this 'fic. A special shoutout goes to Redonkadonk, FantasyNerd306 and Zabbie Q for their continuous support and comments! :)_

 _I hope you enjoy! Until the next 'fic!_

* * *

For several weeks, all was well at the yard. Everything began to fall back into place and, as time passed, the tension between Electra, Caboose and the other trains seemed to ease. To the coaches' relief, Buffy bounced back in top form. It almost felt like nothing had ever happened.

It was a beautiful spring morning and the sun was streaming into the diner. Dinah loved this time of year; when all the flowers began to bloom and the yard started to become livelier. She was glad to see the back of winter. Spring signaled the start of new beginnings and it was the perfect opportunity for the yard to start afresh. But little did she know it would not be the type of new beginning that she had perhaps bargained for.

The diner was quieter than usual and she only had Luna for company. The girl was sat at one of the booths by the window, tongue stuck out in concentration as she neatly coloured in, only stopping to take an occasional sip of her milkshake. Dinah couldn't help but gaze over. Despite all that she had been through the past few months, Luna had come on leaps and bounds. Yearning to learn, she had recently started some schooling with Belle, learning how to read, write and draw. Once a week, she'd present Dinah with a new drawing to display proudly on the diner fridge. It made Dinah a little sad; Luna was growing up too fast. It just seemed like yesterday she was holding a tiny bundle in her arms…

"Dinah, look!" Luna gasped, leaping up onto her knees to gaze out of the window.

What Dinah saw made her stomach turn. Just yards from the diner stood a small group of young schoolgirls who had clearly strayed too far from their teachers. They couldn't have been much older than Luna – perhaps seven or eight – and all were dressed in matching blue blouses and navy pleated skirts. Luna was fixated, her mouth slightly agape in awe, her eyes wide shining with genuine glee. Her entire face had immediately brightened with excitement. It was like a child being presented with a puppy after years of nagging; pure delight. She watched as one of the girls pulled out a pretty doll from her backpack, showing it off proudly to the rest of the group who responded with gasps and claps on enthusiasm.

"Dinah! She has a doll just like me!" Luna cried, bouncing up and down on her knees.

Dinah bit her lip: this is what she'd kept from Luna. A life surrounded by kids her age. Friends to play and share experiences with. Other girls who would also love to play dress ups with their dolls or pretend their toy horses were really unicorns running in the fields. Kids that would engage her imagination and help her grow.

Luna tore her eyes away from the girls for a second to cast a pleading look at the dining car. "Can I go play?"

The hopefulness in her voice made Dinah's heart sink. She was going to disappoint her and let her down, but there was no way she could let Luna interact with them here at the yard. It would lead to so many questions; it was just too risky. She became flustered then, aware she had been put on the spot and she frantically thought of an excuse. "Um, not just now, Luna. They'll be going back to school anyway."

She brushed a blonde curl from her eyes, hoping Luna wouldn't see the tears she was desperately trying to keep at bay.

"Please?" the girl begged. "Just for five minutes?"

But when Luna glanced back outside, the girls were gone. Dinah watched as her shoulders slumped and she quietly sunk back into her seat, her head bowed. She silently picked up her crayons that were scattered across the table and carefully placed them back into their box one by one. She'd lost all interest in colouring. The dining car sighed as she continued to dry off some mugs, turning her back to the girl. How could she possibly begin to explain? It brought a stab of guilt, alongside the niggling question that she hadn't asked herself since Luna was a baby; maybe she had been wrong to keep Luna? Should she have taken her to the town after all? At least then she would have always been integrated with her own kind.

Just then, Pearl sauntered into the diner with Rusty.

"Hey, sweetpea," the pink coach said brightly, greeting Luna with a smile.

When Luna didn't respond, Pearl raised an eyebrow of concern to Dinah, to which the dining car simply shook her head in response. She couldn't bring herself to talk about the girls in front of Luna. Sensing the situation, Pearl had an idea.

"Oh, Rusty? Why don't you go ahead with Luna and I'll catch up?"

Seeing the subtle tilt on her head towards Dinah, Rusty got the message.

"Hey Luna," he slipped into the seat opposite her, injecting some enthusiasm into his voice. "I know some of the trains are training down at the racecourse. I'm pretty sure Joule and Aunt Ashley and Buffy are there. Shall we go watch?"

The girl lifted her head and seemed to brighten a little, but Dinah noted her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Luna gave a small nod. With that, Rusty hoisted her onto his shoulders and gave the two coaches a small salute as he left.

Pearl turned back to her friend, a look of worry spread over her face. "What's wrong, Dinah? Did you two fall out?"

Dinah told Pearl about the schoolgirls and Luna's reaction, all the while trying not to get upset. Just as she was finishing the story, Caboose waltzed into the diner. He froze, seeing the two coaches leaning intently over the bar.

"Oh, sorry," he said, retreating towards the door with a sheepish grin. "Am I interrupting something?"

Dinah shook her head, forcing a smile as she kicked the coffee machine into life. "No, not at all!" she reassured. "Just the usual?"

Pearl turned and gave a sympathetic glance at her friend. She gently reached out to her hand reassuringly. "I'll let Ash and Buffy know and catch up with you later," she said, before leaving to catch up with Rusty and Luna.

Caboose, feeling awkward, remained standing near the door as he waited for his coffee. As Dinah handed him his cup, however, curiosity got the better of him.

"Everything alright?"

Dinah once again pasted a smile onto her face and brushed down her apron.

"Yeah," she said. "Absolutely fine."

* * *

The remainder of the morning past Dinah in a blur. She was tormented by the million thoughts racing through her mind and it was driving her to distraction. This huge decision was consuming her and it was becoming overwhelming. She desperately needed to confide in someone.

When Ashley finally made an appearance, Dinah was relieved and thankful the diner was empty. Slipping into one of the bar stools, Ashley noted the dining car's quietness; this wasn't the bubbly, cheerful Dinah she knew.

"I'm sorry about earlier, hun," she said, taking a puff of her cigarette and she gazed up at her friend sympathetically. "Pearl told me what happened this morning…"

Clearly troubled, Dinah stared blankly down at the counter, her head in her hands.

"Seeing her face light up today…it made me realise I need to let her go." Dinah's voice broke on the last word. When she tried to speak again, her voice trembled, barely a whisper as she tried to fight back the tears that had threatened to engulf her all morning. "It's not fair for me to keep her here."

"Oh, Dinah," Ashley shook her head. "Just because she's finally seen some kids like her it doesn't mean you need to give her up."

"But I'd be selfish if I didn't, Ash," the blue coach looked at her friend despairingly. "I'm keeping her from making friends with kids her own age and she's missing out on so much by being here. I saw it in her face, she was desperate to go and join them." A single tear fell down her cheek as she felt the ache rise in her chest.

Ashley extinguished her cigarette and took the other coach's hands gently in hers, making Dinah look her straight in the eye.

"I remember, five years ago, how scared you were. You were scared because you didn't believe you could raise her. You got hell from Electra for choosing to keep her and didn't get the support you really needed from Greaseball. But despite that fear, you persevered. Look at Luna now! You've given her all the love in the world and the very best start in life. Luna wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. You took a leap of faith taking her in and that takes guts," the smoking car gave Dinah's hands a tight squeeze. "I've always admired you for that, Dinah. You always put everyone before yourself. You're the kindest and bravest coach I know."

The words made Dinah smile and she brushed away stray tears as Ashley continued.

"Luna has brought everyone together, even closer than before. Sure, we've had a bumpy ride but we got through it. I believe what everyone has been saying; the Starlight lead you to her for a reason. To teach us a lesson. Maybe, now we've all learnt from her, it's time for her to move on and help someone else. Maybe the Starlight sees that we are now strong enough as a family to be without her now?"

"But why does this have to be so hard?" Dinah buried her head in her hands as she broke down and sobbed. Even Ashley could feel tears pricking at her eyes. She too had grown to adore the little girl, with her precious smile that lit up the whole room and infectious laugh. She had brought so much happiness to the yard that it seemed unfair to give her up. But both she and Dinah knew it was the right thing to do, although it would also undoubtedly be the hardest. Luna couldn't remain in the yard forever.

Ashley rushed around the counter and pulled Dinah into a warm, comforting hug as she continued to sob hard. All she desperately wanted to do was soften the blow. She had known this day would eventually come, just not as quickly as this. But there was no way anyone could have prepared Dinah for the heartbreak that always comes with goodbyes.

After a moment, Dinah regained enough composure to speak.

"I just want her to be happy," she cried, burying her face into the smoking car's shoulder. Finally, Ashley allowed herself to silently cry with her.

The pair remained in a comforting embrace for a long time: two best friends united in grief.

* * *

After finishing her shift at the diner, Dinah asked Pearl if she could keep Luna for a little longer. She had to talk with Poppa.

The wise, elder steamer was surprised to see the dining car looking so despondent and desolate on his doorstep.

"Oh, Dinah, whatever's the matter?"

He silently ushered her into his depot without hesitation. Dinah loved his place; she always found it so comforting. It brought back cherished memories of when she was younger and she, Buffy, Ashley and Rusty would drink cocoa by the fire on cold winter months and listen intently to Poppa's stories from long ago. The depot had always been full of cheer and laughter back then.

Poppa gestured for Dinah to take a seat and she obliged, carefully sitting on the old brown sofa, smoothing out her dress, her eyes not lifting from the floor. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say, her hands clasped together to stop them from shaking.

"I need to take Luna to the town."

Poppa blinked, startled by the statement. He shook his head, baffled.

"What's caused all this?"

"Luna saw some schoolgirls outside the diner today. She asked to go out to play…" Dinah paused, forcing herself to take a breath to keep her composure, feeling her voice again start to waiver. "I can't keep her here anymore," she blurted, turning her head away.

"It's a normal reaction for a girl who hasn't been in contact with any humans before, Dinah. She's a naturally inquisitive child; she wants to know about everything. I'd be quite surprised if she'd hadn't asked to join them. But that doesn't mean we need to suddenly take her out of the yard environment,"

Dinah closed her eyes. She appreciated Poppa was only giving advice and trying to see things from all angles, but he didn't understand. There could be no compromises; she'd made up her mind.

"Poppa, I have never seen her so happy. The look she gave me…she wants to be with them."

Poppa tilted his head, leaning towards the dining car. "And is that what you want?"

A single tear trailed down the coach's cheek. "I want what's best for her…it's the right thing to do."

Poppa lifted himself from his armchair and sat next to the dining car, wrapping an arm around her.

"Why don't you see how Luna is over the next few days? There's surely no need to rush into such a big decision. She'll probably forget it ever happened."

Poppa was reluctant to just give in to Dinah's insistence. Dinah, being arguably one of the most selfless at the yard, was always one to put others before herself but this time, he wanted her to put herself first for a change. See how this decision would also affect her. After all, Luna had changed Dinah's life and he could see how happy she made her.

But Dinah shook her head vigorously, a brick wall fast growing higher and higher. Leaving it any longer would simply prolong the agony. There was no reasoning with the coach.

"I know she can't stay here forever so why prolong it? Surely it's better she's introduced into a human family sooner rather than later?"

After a moment of contemplation, Poppa sighed. He realised no matter what he said, there was no reasoning with the dining car. She'd made up her mind.

"Belle is quite familiar with the town. I could send you with her. I'm sure she'll stay and make sure Luna is alright?"

Dinah nodded, biting her lip. She hadn't been able to lift her head and look at him since she'd got here. She was too frightened she would burst into tears again.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do, Dinah?" he lifted her chin up gently with his finger, making her finally look at him. "Once you let her go, there's no going back."

The words made Dinah feel sick to her stomach. It was true: this decision would be final. Once Luna was introduced into the human way of life, there was no turning back. But this was inevitably going to happen, whether it be now or in three years time. Luna was growing up fast; she was ready.

Dinah sighed and looked Poppa straight in the eye.

"Yes, I'm sure."

* * *

That night when Luna skipped into the bedroom to bid goodnight, Dinah used the opportunity to bring up the morning's events. She beckoned the girl onto the bed. She gently brushed a tendril of the girl's brown hair behind her ear.

"You know those girls you saw today?" she asked, with a small smile.

"The girls from the school?" Luna became so animated then, her whole face lighting up. It only served to break Dinah's heart further.

Dinah nodded. "How would you like to be able to go and play with them for real?"

The girl's eyes grew big with excitement and a beaming smile stretched across her face. "Really?"

Another nod, this time Dinah cast her eyes down to her hands in her lap. Luna hesitated, tilting her head, realising the dining car wasn't sharing in her enthusiasm. "Dinah?"

The coach shook her head and gave Luna a smile. "Let me tell you a story," she patted beside her to motion the girl to curl up beside her.

The girl snuggled close.

"Once there was a little bird, all warm in a nest. She was happy in her tree because she had her mama and she was safe. Each morning, the little bird would watch as a flock of birds flew high across the sky and she desperately longed to join them. She tried to flap her wings but found she couldn't yet fly. "Don't you worry, little one, your time will come," Mama bird would say. A week later, as the little bird watched as the flock soared, she flapped her wings and found she could lift herself out of the nest, but her wings were still not strong enough to fly high. Then, one day, the little bird leapt into the sky and flew! She was finally ready to leave the nest! Mama bird watched with pride as her little one soared into the sky and joined the other birds. She would miss her baby, but she was happy to see her spread her wings and fly to explore the world."

Dinah stroked the girl's cheek lovingly . "Maybe you're just like the little bird and you're ready to fly too."

Luna frowned, gazing up at Dinah. "But I won't be with you anymore?"

Dinah shook her head. "No, Luna. But you'd have so much fun with those girls. Just think, you can play with your dolls every day and when you go to school you'll learn all kinds of new things."

"That does sound like fun," Luna smiled, giving a yawn. After a moment's silence as she contemplated things, Luna spoke again. "What would it be like?"

"What? Life outside the yard?"

Luna nodded.

"Well, let's see," Dinah took a moment to think carefully. "You'll go to school most days with all the other boys and girls and you'll have teachers who will show you how to do arts and crafts, how to write stories, painting…all kinds of new things. Outside of school, you could go to the park and play on the swings, you could go swimming in the lake and even go to the zoo and see some animals! There's lots to do."

Luna smiled sleepily. "That sounds amazing!"

Dinah let Luna curl up close with her that night in bed. She gently swept away her hair from her eyes and planted a kiss on her forehead as she fell asleep. Long after, Dinah lay awake, agonising over the day ahead tomorrow. All she could think about was Luna not being around and it terrified her. When Greaseball arrived home and quietly slipped into bed beside them, she clamped her eyes shut and pretended to be asleep, only to allow herself to cry quietly once she was certain he had also fallen asleep.

Tomorrow she would say her final goodbye.

Tomorrow she would let her baby fly.

* * *

The following morning, all the trains gathered outside the diner to bid farewell to Luna. The air was filled with mixed emotions; pride, excitement, hope….but ultimately sadness. Luna addressed each of them in turn, insisting on giving them all a goodbye hug.

Purse was first and he grinned at the little girl as he bent down, handing her a $20 bill. "Don't spend it all at once now!" he winked.

Wrench and Volta each gave her a hug and wished her luck. Luna raced to Joule and threw her arms around the dynamite truck she had come to idolise. Joule presented her with a pair of roller skates; a gift from her and Volta. "So you can practice being a train!" she gave a grin. Luna laughed. "I'll be the bestest train at school!" As Luna moved on, the youngest component quickly brushed away tears before they could fall onto her cheeks.

Caboose grinned as he gave the girl a fist pump. "Knock 'em dead, kiddo! You're gonna be the smartest kid at that school, I know it!"

Luna hesitated in front of Electra. He knelt down to her level and chuckled. "Don't worry, kid, I ain't gonna jolt you," he assured. Luna bit her lip, hanging back, before she smiled and gave the electric a hug.

Greaseball playfully took Luna into a headlock and tousled her hair before giving her a bear hug. "I'll miss you, Luna. I'll especially miss my wake up calls!" he grinned, trying to conceal the true sadness he felt. Even now, the tough guy image remained.

Next, Rusty lifted the girl high into the air and onto his shoulders, which was received by the usual squeal of delight. "I'm gonna miss our little adventures, Luna. Who's gonna keep me fit for racing session?" He lifted the girl down to give her a hug before she raced into Pearl's arms.

As she buried herself into the coach's pink hair, the girl seemed to waiver then, signs of tears welling in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you," she sniffed. "I'll miss you too, sweetpea," she whispered, holding her close. As she drew back, she revealed what she'd been hiding behind her back. "Saffie!" the girl gasped, hugging the teddy tightly to her chest. "You can't go on an adventure without her!" Pearl smiled. "And when you miss me, just hold Saffie close and I'll be there too."

Luna seemed to take comfort in that, for a bright smile returned to her face then.

Lastly, there was Ashley and Buffy. Luna first turned to Buffy and gave her a big hug before she stepped back and gave a frown. "Who's gonna make me the bestest, yummiest birthday cakes?" Buffy smiled, trying not to cry. "Maybe I can send you some cupcakes sometime?"

Luna then turned to Ashley. "Who's going to tell me that I need to stop smoking?" she grinned, lifting the girl into her arms and tickling her, savouring the girl's bubbly laugh. She gave her a hug as the tears began to fall. "I'll miss you, Luna."

As Luna turned to join Dinah's side, the girl hesitated before spinning around and throwing her arms around both the older coaches. "I'll miss you, Aunt Buffy. I'll miss you, Aunt Ashley."

Finally, the girl took Dinah's hand and cast the group a final glance and a wave. Her lip trembled and two small tears fell down her cheeks then. This had been her family. They had taught her so much in her time at the yard. But now, it was time to start a new, exciting adventure.

Belle, Dinah and Luna travelled into the town in silence. Dinah couldn't make herself think about what she was away to do. Finally, they arrived at the station, just adjacent to the school yard where the children were out playing.

Belle gave a reassuring smile to Dinah. "I'll let you say goodbye. I'll hang around by the school yard for a while and watch her. I'll see that she's taken in and safe, I promise."

Belle knew that Luna would be taken in by social services when it was brought to the teacher's attention that she wasn't a current student at the school. She knew it would be an overall long process to have Luna integrated with a family but at least she'd still have the opportunity to immerse herself in a world full of other kids.

"Thank you, Belle." Dinah smiled.

With that, the sleeping car retreated, allowing Dinah some space and privacy with Luna.

"I'll come and visit you, ok?" Luna grinned.

Dinah found herself laugh. "That would be wonderful."

Dinah felt the lump in her throat return as Luna flung her arms around her. "I love you," the girl said.

Hearing those words both completed her and broke her apart. She desperately wanted time to freeze then. She wanted to be able to hug Luna forever and never let go. As she held the girl close, she desperately tried to commit everything to memory: the softness of her long hair as it brushed against her cheek, the tiny, those bright blue eyes that had taken her breath away when she'd first lain eyes on her. She didn't want to forget.

"I love you too," Dinah whispered, tears once more beginning to fall. "I'm going to miss you so much."

She took a deep breath and let her hand go. Luna raced ahead in glee to join the children in the yard. Dinah stood from a distance and watched as she skipped up to a group of girls, engrossed in a tea party with their dolls, and observed as the girls eagerly accepted her to join. The delight in her face said it all: this was where she belonged. After a few moments, fresh tears falling down her cheeks, Dinah forced herself to walk away and not look back. If she did, she knew she'd only run back and change her mind. This is the right thing to do, she told herself, Luna deserves a better future than what there is at the train yard.

With each step putting distance between them, she could feel her heart shatter, piece by piece.

* * *

That night, Dinah and Greaseball lay in silence, backs to one another in bed. Curled up in the duvet, Dinah couldn't help but sob. The depot felt empty and lifeless without Luna; it was too quiet and still. She yearned to hear the girl's bubbly laughter float down the hall and into their bedroom, for that early morning wake up call when the bed was transformed into a trampoline, for the chaos at breakfast when there was spilt milk and cereal. She desperately wanted to hold her close, feel her hair brush her cheeks and smell the sweet strawberry bubble bath scent of her skin. Dinah felt raw, like her heart had been scraped out and all that remained was a hollow hole; a gap where Luna used to be. It also pained Greaseball listening to her crying, knowing she was aching and there was nothing he could do to ease it. He hadn't expected to feel so down once Luna had left. He too found he missed the girl's presence. He rolled over and pulled Dinah close to him, taking her hand in his, saying words even he thought he'd never hear himself say:

"I miss her too."

At that, Dinah buried her head into his chest, tears still falling down her cheeks. Greaseball held her close, willing to take some of her pain away. He planted a kiss on her head.

Later that night, Greaseball stirred and found Dinah had cried herself to sleep, her cheeks still wet from tears. Luna had been both a blessing and a curse; Dinah had unknowingly and unwittingly set herself up for this fall. And, oh, how the world had come crashing down.

Luna had both completed her and tore her apart.

She had taught her how to be brave. How to love unconditionally. Learn from mistakes and forgive others when they make them too.

She had taught her everyone deserves a second chance.

A child, gifted from Starlight.

* * *

 _A month later_

It was an unseasonably warm May day, the sunlight shining brightly and illuminating the diner. The perfect day for Dinah's birthday. The trains had each popped into the diner throughout the day to wish her a happy birthday and give her a present. Rusty had just rolled in with a beautiful, fresh bouquet of flowers from Hark Hill.

"Oh, Rusty! They're beautiful!" gasped Dinah, admiring the pretty collection of chrysanthemums, freesias and roses as she filled a vase of water. She gave the steam train a friendly kiss on the cheek. "Thank you!"

Rusty grinned. He'd so desperately wanted to make Dinah smile, especially after having such a rough month. Adjusting to life without Luna had been a huge challenge for everyone at the yard, but for Dinah it had been devastating. He also knew today would be particularly difficult; Luna always loved making a fuss of her on her special day. With the support from Ashley, Buffy and Pearl though, he could see she was finally starting to turn the corner. There was a light at the end of the tunnel and she was starting to see it in the distance.

"No problem," Rusty waved a hand, dismissively.

Ashley, puffing her cigarette lazily at the bar, rolled her eyes. "Such a charmer Rusty. Where's my bouquet?" she playfully nudged him, giving a wink.

"Jealous, Ash?" Rusty, in a single motion, pulled the cigarette from the smoking car's mouth, which got a laugh from Dinah and a horrified gasp from Ashley. The smoking car quickly snatched back her cigarette.

"You got a death wish, Rusty?" Dinah raised her eyebrow, still smiling.

It felt like such a relief; sharing a genuine laugh with her friends. For the first couple of weeks without Luna, she couldn't bring herself to smile or laugh at anything. Life had seemed empty and dull but she was slowly learning to enjoy life without the little girl and move on without her.

Finally, it was Pearl's turn to present Dinah with a gift. She presented the dining car with a small box, prettily tied up with a pink ribbon. When Dinah opened it, it revealed a silver necklace. It brought tears to the dining car's eyes.

"Oh, Dinah! Please don't cry! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!" Pearl leapt up from her seat at the bar.

But the blonde coach shook her head and laughed. "No, it's ok!"

"I found it the night you took Luna home," explained Pearl, smiling as she recalled that fateful night. "It must have fallen out on the pink blanket you'd found her in. I kept it, wanting to give you it when the time was right. I figured you should have something to remember her by."

"It's beautiful, Pearl," Dinah rushed around the counter to give the coach a hug. "Thank you!"

The necklace, a dainty thing, had a small charm of a crescent of the moon. The Luna moon.

As Dinah clipped it around her neck, there was a knock at the diner door. Puzzled, everyone whipped their head around.

"Must be a surprise for you, Dinah," shrugged Rusty.

Dinah blinked before hesitantly approaching. Taking a breath, she opened the door.

it revealed the best birthday present of all.

* * *

 _I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to review or send me a PM with your comments._


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